Dean's Salvation
by angel-castiel-rules-the-world
Summary: Dean is haunted by dreams of what Cain told him in their final fight. Gabriel is trying to help him find the way to salvation. But being the stubborn Winchester that he is, Dean doesn't seem to be that cooperative to the plan, or to even understand it. Based after season 10 episode 14 'The Executors Song.' Destiel endgame. Mainly done through Dean's dreams.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay this idea just came to me. It is written as a oneshot but if you guys like it I might be able to think of a way to make it grow, so let me know.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_He looked down and saw the blood dripping off of the end of the first blade. Why was there blood? He wondered as he took it the rest of the room. It was at that point he saw the body on the floor. It was a body he had seen so often full of life, he couldn't truly see it dead. But it was. He had put the first blade through its heart. He remembered doing it. He remembered the joy he felt went the blade slide through the skin and bone. The joy of killing, but now he couldn't look at it._

_He had killed him._

_What else was there to say? He had done what no angel or demon had ever succeeded in doing. And he had enjoyed the process. It was only now, that he had come back to himself that Dean felt sick. No not sick. It was like his soul had been ripped apart. Cain was wrong. This was the murder that would destroy him. Not killing Sam, but the murder he had done to his best friend._

_He had killed Cas and it felt like he had ripped his soul in half. With that Dean dropped to his knees and looked at the blade in his hand. There was only one solution to stop him from finishing the job of destroying himself. With that he raised the first blade and plunged it through his own heart._

Dean Winchester suddenly shot awake as he killed himself in his dream. It wasn't the first one he had had like that nor would it be the last, but something niggled at the back of his mind. Something important, that the dream was trying to make him realise. He just didn't know what.

With a shrug Dean Winchester rolled over and went back to sleep causing Gabriel to swear out loud from his hidden position by the wall. What did he need to do to make Dean freaking Winchester realise that his salvation was at hand? If only he had the courage to face it. If only he would embrace Castiel as his true love he would be saved. With a shake of his head Gabriel went back into the righteous man's dreams, hoping to find a way to guide him to salvation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello people. I would like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured this story and I would like to thank Valice for the review.**

**Also I have updated the summary and done some editing to chapter 1 as this is no longer a oneshot. The parts in italics are Dean's dreams.**

**i hope you like this chapter.**

**disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was sitting at a nondescript table in a nondescript bar drinking, was that Thighslapper beer? What the hell? When he heard his brothers voice from the other side of the table._

_"So an angel and a demon entered my brother-" Sam started only to be cut off by yet another voice coming from Deans left, turning he saw Crowley._

_"Oh, oh I know this one, its Poughkeepsie right?" Crowley said with a gleeful smile on his face and jumping up and down in his chair like a freakin' child. Serious what the hell was going on? Suddenly a third voice joined in from Dean's right._

_"I do not understand this joke Sam. No angel has ever entered your brother." Castiel spoke with complete sincerity while inspecting his bottle of beer as if it held the answers to the universe._

_Really did he just say that? Dean thought taking another sip of his beer and letting the conversation wash over him, just going with it. It seemed natural to be sitting like this, drinking this beer. As if everything made sense to him._

_Suddenly he looked down at his right hand to see that the bottle of beer had been replaced with the first blade. He looked at it. It fit so well in his hand. It was beautiful, though it would look even better with blood coating it. With that thought he turned to Crowley and gutted him with the blade, a smile on his face as he watched the life drain from the demon._

_Turning to the other two occupants at the table he saw that they hadn't moved. They were both just watching him curiously, as if wondering what he would do next. He held the blade towards them moving it between them while counting._

_"One." The blade was directed at Cas._

_"Two." The blade moved to Sam._

_"Three." Back to Cas._

_"Four." Sam again._

_He continued in this way until he reached ten. The blade pointing straight at his brother heart._

_"Good bye brother." Dean sneered as he hugged Sam. Plunging the blade all the way through his torso, smiling the whole time._

_He then pulled the first blade out of his brother, letting Sam's body fall to the floor as he turned to Cas, running his hand over his face and smearing the blood that was there._

_"Is it my turn now Dean?" Castiel asked gravelly with a tilt of his head to the man in front of him._

_"Yeah." Dean replied but he started frowning. He tried to move the blade to kill the angel in front of him but he couldn't do it._

_"Cut it out Cas. I'm stronger than you." Dean growled at him, thinking that Cas was using his angel mojo on him._

_"I am not doing anything Dean. If you feel the need to kill me I will not stop you. You are my friend, I would do anything to help you in anyway." Castiel replied moving towards Dean so the tip of the first blade was touching his chest._

_Dean looked down, wanting to plunge the blade in but the force was stopping him, and he didn't know what it was. Finally with one fierce growl he managed to wrench his arm free and slashed Cas' throat. He watched the grace of the angel leave the body it had been residing in and disappear into the ether. As soon as the grace left he felt the need to kill leave him. He looked down at the three bodies surrounding him and fell to his knees. He had done it just as Cain had said he would. And now he was broken for ever more. With that he threw the blade away and wept, reaching out to grab Sam and Cas' hands as he did so. How was he it live having killed his family?_

"DEAN…" _he heard, that was Sam's voice looking up he noticed the bar slowly fading around him what-?_

Suddenly Dean was sitting up on his bed with startled eyes looking at his brother who was giving him a strange look.

"Sam." He croaked, wondering what was wrong with his voice.

"Yeah. You alright man?" Sam asked gently, concern written across his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Dean replied running a hand across his face and pulling it away when he realised it had come back wet. He just looked at the evidence of his tears on his hand as Sam spoke.

"Okay. Well I'm going to get some breakfast." And with that Sam left the room. Dean still not sure what to make of the fact that his dream had made him cry.

Gabriel stood back from Dean, he had pulled himself out of his dreams as soon as he had heard Sam call his brother. He wasn't sure what to make of the scene Dean had just envisioned. Yes he was delving into the man's mind, trying to make him see what Castiel meant to him, but even in his opinion that was just weird. With a shake of his head and a realisation that it was no doubt only going to get weirder he retreated to chair in the corner of the room to wait for night to come again and he could once more enter the mind of Dean Winchester.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone. I would just like to thank those of you who have foloowed and favoured this story since my last update. You guys are great.**

**Anyway here's the next chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the lines I have taken from the show.**

* * *

_Dean turns around, he recognises this place. He's standing in the wings of that 'Supernatural' stage show. Oh god no, not with the close contact and bloody subtext. It was bad enough he had to see it, why the hell was dreaming of it? With that he turned to see what was happening on the stage and he saw the actress who was playing him lie down on a bed. He had no idea where they where in the story until the spot light on the other side of the stage came up on a person standing under a street light. It was Cas. As in the real Cas. Suddenly they were standing on the road that Cas took him to when he rescued him from Zachariah after he came back from the future. But Cas was singing. He was singing that song from the show. For some reason this made perfect sense to him. Of course Cas was singing, why shouldn't he be? Dean stood there watching the words poor out of Cas' mouth._

_"I'll just wait here then, I'll wait for you."_

_Once Cas had finished he decided to move. To show that he was here for Cas and he wasn't alone._

_"Hey Cas." he said as he approached._

_"Hello Dean." Castiel replied with the hint of a smile on his lips._

_"You okay?" Dean asked._

_"I am fine. I was waiting for you." Castiel responded amiably._

_"Well I'm here now." Dean smiled to his friend._

_"Yes you are." Castiel replied, he then tilted his head at the man in front of him. "But you are not the Dean from this time."_

_"What?" Dean asked confused. Cos that was what future Cas had said to him._

_"I prefer past Dean. He was funny." Castiel replied with a smirk suddenly on his face. A smirk that didn't fit on the Cas in front of him. It was such a cynical look._

_"Cas?"Dean whispered wondering what was going on._

_"I did all of it for you dean." Castiel said bitterly narrowing his eyes at him._

_"What the-?" with that he looked down at his right hand to find the first blade there once again. No, no this time he was not going to kill Cas. he repeated this in his head, saying it over and over again while Cas just stood there in front of him with his hands in his pockets._

_"Cas you need to leave." Dean struggled to say through the urge to plunge the first blade though his friend._

_"Why?" Castiel asked amicably with a tilt of his head._

_"cos if you don't I'm gonna kill you." Dean replied through gritted teeth._

_"very well Dean. If that is what you wish." and with that Castiel stepped forwards and pulled Dean's hand towards him plunging the first blade through his own stomach with a smile on his lips._

_"It was fun while it lasted right?" Castiel gasped out as he fell to the floor. By the time he hit he was dead._

_Dean couldn't believe it, he had been fighting, but he still killed Cas. With that he fell to his knees besides the dead man, who still had a smile on his face._

Dean suddenly came awake into darkness. What the hell was going on with his dreams? If you could call them dreams at any rate. First they were all over the place and second why did they always end in him killing Cas? Surely he was more concerned with kill Sam, so why was his subconscious concentrating on Cas? These where questions he really didn't know the answer too. What he did know was he really needed a drink. With that thought he got up from his bed to go find the whiskey.

Gabriel sat down. He didn't bother following Dean, he knew that if the guy was going to drink in excess then there would be no point. Dean never remembered his dreams when he was drinking, which lets be honest was probably the main reason he did it. Gabriel was getting worried. His plan should been working by now. He had been going into Dean's dreams for a week. Trying to find all the memories he had of Castiel, to get Dean to see what he meant to him. But instead all he got was confusion from the damn man. He might have to start rethinking the kind of memories he used. Though to be honest what he was doing wasn't an exact science. He just thought Dean was more likely to come to the realisation of what Castiel meant to him if they had a friend moment before he killed him. Damn the bloody stubborn, unobservant man.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello all. I would like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured this story since my last update. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean had started to become a bit of an expert at avoiding his dreams. He had noticed that when Sam was with him or when he drank they didn't come. So over the next few days he tried to make sure that one or the other of these two situations came to fruition.

* * *

Gabriel was getting completely frustrated with the man. He hadn't been able to make any headway cos of Dean's avoidance tactics. He'd had enough. With that thought he entered the motel room the boys had rented. Maybe if Sam found out about Dean's dreams it would be a good thing. He was the smartest of the brothers. No doubt he would be able to work it out and then Gabriel's work here would finally be done.

_Dean was standing in a dark room he didn't recognise. Where the hell was he? When suddenly he was attacked by something. No it was a someone he realised when he fought back. A second later he realised who that someone was.  
_

_"Sam?" He whispered to his brother._

_ "Dean?" Sam replied in shock, letting go of his brother and going to turn on the light.  
_

_It was then everything became a bit freaky in Dean's opinion. Cos the brother looking back at him was the one he collected from Stanford. Really what the hell?  
Sam was talking not that Dean was listening when an extremely pretty blonde came through from the bedroom. It was Jess. Dean remembered meeting her, and he remembered the guilt he had felt at her death. Though why he was reliving this now was a mystery to him. He had done so much worse since then. Looking down at her Dean sees her top. It makes him smile. _

_"I really do like the smurfs." he said. Suddenly there was no picture on Jess top instead Dean could now hear to bickering voices from behind him. Turning he saw Cas and Crowley. Dressed as smurfs and completely blue. Seriously could his mind get any freaking weirder?  
_

_Crowley and Cas suddenly noticed him looking at them and Crowley rushed to speak.  
_

_"Squirrel you need to settle this. I am your bestie right? Not kitten." he whined.  
_

_"No." Dean replied effetely.  
_

_"But I taught you how to use your powers. And I have pom-poms. I'm your cheering squad bestie." Crowley said in mock outrage holding up the pom-poms that where suddenly in his hand.  
_

_The sight of a blue Crowley dressed as a cheerleader was enough to make Dean shudder. It was an image he never wanted in his head again._

_"That may be true but I was the one who pulled him from hell. I'm his best friend." Cas interjected smugly crossing his arms._

_"No you're not, you abandoned him." Crowley yelled back._

_Dean was fed up with this. With that he shouted "shut up." To the two beings before turning back to Jess and Sam. Suddenly he looked down at his hand to see the first blade once again there. No he thought as in the back ground he heard and saw Crowley start to spell out the words mark of Cain as a cheerleader would._

_"Wow he's pretty good isn't he?" Jess said smiling up at Sam who smile down at her and agreed._

_It was the smile on Sam's face that made him snap. Without thought he slashed the first blade at Jess killing her instantly._

_Sam rounded on him. "How dare you. She's dead now and it's all because of you." He screamed at Dean advancing on him._

_"Don't worry Sammy, you'll see her in a minute." Dean replied and with that he slashed his brother's throat._

_Crowley was jumping up and down shouting "go Dean go" while he killed Jess and Sam. Dean found it rather grating. With that he turned and gutted the demon growling "I told you to shut up" as he did so._

_Then it was just him and Cas left. Looking over at the angel he saw that he was no longer blue but back to his normal self, dressed in his old trench coat and blue tie. He felt the grip of the mark of Cain loosen its hold on him and he knew that Cas was safe. He wasn't going to kill him this time._

_Cas tilted his head and looked him up and down before he spoke._

_"You disappoint me Dean. I thought you were better than this but it seems I was wrong. You are not worthy of my friendship. You are not the righteous man." Cas said staring into Deans eyes._

_He then raised his hand towards Dean's head, his palm starting to glow as if he was going to smite him. Dean reacted instantly he cut of Cas' hand and then slashed back with the first blade across his torso. Cas fell to the ground in a show of light and once it had gone Dean looked down and saw a pair of wings etched around Cas' dead body._

Dean's eyes shot open, he was covered in sweat and shaking, finding it hard to breath. Something about this dream panicked him more than any of the others, though he refused to think what right then. He could get any air into his lungs and he couldn't move. What was going on? What was happening to him? Why was his mind doing this to him?

Suddenly the light was turned on and Sam was there at his side.

"Dean? What's wrong?" Sam asked in a panicked voice. He had never seen his brother like this.

"I'm fine." Dean managed to force out through his closed throat. With that he pulled himself up to sit on the side of his bed as he took more breaths and his heart rate started to return to normal.

"You're not fine Dean. What's going on?" Sam asked from where he was crouched by Dean's side.

"Just…bad…dream." Dean replied concentrating on his breathing and trying really hard not to remember it.

"Dean please…" Sam started but Dean pushed him away and stood, walking towards the bathroom.

"Leave it Sam." He said over his shoulder before he shut the door.

Once alone Dean turned to splash water over his face. His eyes then raised to look at himself in the mirror. Looking at his reflection Cas' words from his dream came back to him.

_"You disappoint me Dean. I thought you were better than this but it seems I was wrong. You are not worthy of my friendship. You are not the righteous man."_

He was right. The Cas in his head was right. Because what had scared him so much about this dream wasn't that he had killed everyone in it but because when he had killed Cas he hadn't felt the power of the mark of Cain on him. He had done it because he had wanted to.

* * *

Gabriel stepped out of the dream once Dean had killed Castiel. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Yes he was trying to find Deans painful memories, though it seemed he had gone too far into the past. But what Castiel had said. That was new. He would have to investigate this. If Dean truly believed what his dream Cas had said then this was going to be a lot harder than he had first thought. With that he went and sat down next to Dean's bed waiting for him to return. No time like the present to find out what was really going on in Dean-o's head.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi Guys. I would like to thank those of you who have favoured and followed this story since my last update. I'm glad you like it. So here's the next chapter, I hope it makes sense. Again the bits in italics are dreams.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean returned from the bathroom and sat down on his bed before turning to the one Sam was sleeping on. His brother had laid back down but he knew that he wasn't really sleeping, just as he knew that if he got the bottle of whiskey out of his bag and started to drink it Sam would try to talk to him. So he had two choices, he could drink and talk to Sam or he could lie down and see if he could get more sleep and hope that the rest of his dreams that night were not like the last. With that thought he sighed and laid back down. It really wasn't an option. He wasn't going to tell Sam about the crazy shit that was going on in his head.

Once Dean was lying down Gabriel rested his hand on his forehead. Okay Dean-o lets see what you actually believe has gone on between you and Castiel.

_The roof shook and Dean started to get a bad feeling about what he and Bobby had done. Suddenly the doors burst open and a man walked inside, all the lights blowing out as he did so. Dean couldn't get his head around the power this thing had. The bullets did nothing to him, nor did the knife as he stabbed him in the heart. _

"_Who are you?"_

"_I am the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."_

_He was standing in Bobby's kitchen at night next to Cas. _

"_You should show me some respect. I pulled you out of hell, I can send you back."_

_Suddenly he was sitting on a bench by a park, he remembered this, it was just after he and Sam had failed to stop the raising of Samhain._

"_I am not a hammer as you say, I have doubts."_

_Dean was lying in a hospital bed, turning he saw Cas standing next to his bed._

"_I know our fate rests with you."  
_

_"Then you guys are screwed. I can't do it, Cas, it's too big. Alastair was right. I'm not a hero, I'm not strong enough. Well I guess I'm not the man either of our dads wanted me to be. Find someone else. It's not me." _

_He was in a warehouse and Cas was walking up to him. _

"_I learnt my lesson while I was away Dean. I serve Heaven. I don't serve man. And I certainly don't serve you." With that Castiel walked away from him._

_He was standing outside Bobby's house just staring into Castiel's eyes after agreeing to do whatever the angels wish him to do._

_He's in the room the angels took him to when they wanted to start the apocalypse, suddenly Cas is there with his hand over his mouth staring into his eyes._

_Dean was in darkness just the words "I did it, all of it for you and you failed." resonated through his head in Cas' voice._

_Suddenly he is in the brothel with Cas looking scared out of his mind as some woman approaches their table._

"_I like past you he's funny." the future Cas says to future Dean before he is suddenly standing opposite his Cas on the side of a road._

"_Don't ever change."_

_Dean is talking to Michael and Lucifer wearing his brothers._

"_Hey assbutt."_

_Then Cas is gone, smote by Lucifer._

_Now he was in a hotel room with soulless Sam._

"_Dean and I do share a more profound bond."_

_He is looking through a ring of fire at Cas. He looks betrayed but he was the one that betrayed them, working with Crowley to open purgatory. He had defended him to their family and this was how Cas decided to repay him, by lying and betraying his trust._

"_You said we where family, trust me." came Cas' disembodied voice through the dark before the next memory hit._

"_I am sorry." Suddenly Cas wasn't there any more instead the leviathans stood in his shell._

_Dean stood and watched Cas walk into the lake and never return, only his coat floated towards them. Picking it up he held it as he realised he had just lost his best friend._

_He was killing a demon on the steps of some suburban house. Looking up from the dead body his eyes met Cas', through he was wearing a blue jumper and jeans._

_Watching Cas smite the demons and getting his memories back._

"_I remember you, I remember everything."_

_Crazy Cas holding the lid of Sorry up to him. _

_In purgatory finding Cas by the river and holding him close. Never letting go of him again._

_Sitting on opposite beds in some random motel room. "I can't go back to heaven Dean...if I do I feel I might kill myself."_

_Cas dead in a chair after he had become human. "Cas, Cas. Save him." Gadreel bringing him back to life._

"_You can't stay." watching Cas' face as he said the words to him. Watching his expression fall._

_Standing in line in a gas 'n' sip._

"_Hi Cas."_

"_I go by Steve now."_

_Sitting at a table eating fries telling Cas that he needs to forget about the people he couldn't save._

"_Is that what you do?"_

"_I'm not a role model."_

_Cas looking at him as if that was complete bull._

Dean woke to sun streaming through the curtains of their motel room and the sound of Sam tapping on his computer. He could remember with complete clarity his dreams for the rest of the night. Though they were less dreams and more memories of all the times he and Cas had had together, both good and bad, in chronological order. Why was he his mind so stuck on Cas all of the sudden? What was going on with his god damn subconscious? With a shake of his head he got up to go take a shower.

* * *

Gabriel had left the room as soon as Sam had got up, but he had learnt what he needed to know. Now he just had to put his plan into action, and hoped he could get Dean-o to recall the right memories at the right time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi all. I would like to thank rainystv and trwm (Guest) for the wonderful reviews. So here's the next chapter, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the lines I have taken from the show.**

* * *

_Dean and Sam were confronting Gabriel in a disused warehouse. Dean remembered this, even if the words coming out of their mouths where no longer relevant._

_"You were born to this boys, it's your density, it was always you. As it is in Heaven so must it be on Earth. One brother has to kill the other." Gabriel said from the ring of holy fire looking at both Sam and Dean._

_"What the hell you saying?" Dean asked with a growl in his voice._

_"Why do you think I have always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always." Gabriel replied._

_"No. that's not gonna happen." Dean responded instantly. He was not going to kill his brother._

_"I'm sorry, but it is." Gabriel replied with genuine regret in his voice as he and Dean stared at each other. "Guys I wish this were a TV show, easy answers, endings wrapped up in a bow. But this is real, and it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be." Gabriel continued in a defeated voice. "So boys, now what? Stare at each other for the rest of eternity?" He finished more upbeat._

_"First of all your gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him." Dean replied glaring at the archangel._

_"Oh am I?" Gabriel asked sarcastically back at him._

_"Yeah. Or we're gonna dunk you in some holy oil and deep fire ourselves an archangel." Came Dean's response._

_Gabriel clicked his fingers and Dean suddenly found himself inside a devils trap, surrounded by a ring of holy fire. In his right hand was the first blade. Looking round he saw that Cas had taken his place, standing beside Sam and where Cas had appeared in the original memory Crowley now stood. What the hell was his damn mind up to now?_

_"Crowley, you okay?" Cas asked not taking eyes off of Dean._

_"I'm fine. Hello Squirrel." Crowley replied also looking at Dean._

_Dean didn't know what he wanted to say but it certainly wasn't the words that came out of his mouth. It was if someone was giving him a script and he had to say his lines. Play his role in this messed up memory. "Hey bestie, how's the search for the blade going?" He asked with a smirk, holding the first blade up for Crowley to see as he continued. "Let me guess. Awful."_

_"Okay we are out of here. Come on Sam." Cas said walking away from Dean yet not taking his eyes off of him. Dean stared back at the angel just gazing into the blue of his eyes. He had no idea what was going on, what his brain was trying to show him with this. All he knew was that Cas was walking away from him, and Sam and Crowley was following._

_"Ur okay. Guys. So what? Hu? You just gonna leave me here for ever?" He asked, though he knew that that was indeed what they should do. Leave him here to rot._

_"No. we're not, because we don't hurt people the way you do. And for the record, this is not about some prize fight between you and Cain, or some destiny that can't be stopped. This about you being to afraid to realise the truth." Cas replied stoically, he then turned and broke the fire alarm, setting off the sprinklers_

_"Do not say I never did anything for you." Cas finished and walked out the door after Sam. _

_Dean wanted to say something. To ask them to stay, tell Cas that he knew he had done more for him than he could ever repay. But no words would come out of his lips. Instead he turned to Crowley and just stared at him as the demon followed Sam and Cas out the door. _

_Suddenly Dean feels the effect of the mark upon him, looking down he sees that the water had washed away the devils trap and the holy fire was now out. Smiling an evil smile his eyes turned black as he moved._

_Outside Dean suddenly appeared behind Crowley killing him by putting the first blade through his shoulder blades. He pulls the blade out and moved on, slicing Sam in two before Crowley's body had hit the ground. He then turned to Cas who was by the impala and holds the blade to his throat. His black eyes staring into the blue eyes of the angel._

_"Are you truly willing to lets this come to pass Dean?" Castiel asked with sincerity in his voice not breaking the eye contact. Dean just looked at him then ran the blade across his throat. No emotions on his face. He felt nothing as Cas dropped to the floor, no elation at the kill that he associated with the mark, nor any pain at what he had done. He felt nothing._

_Suddenly his eyes turned from black to green and he finds he can't breathe, looking round at the dead. He couldn't believe what he had done. And he hadn't done it because the mark whispered for him to, or because they had made him. He had done it because that was his nature. The nature of a demon. To kill he thought looking at Crowley's body before his eyes turned to Sam. To destruct, he thought as he looked at Sam's split body. To destroy all that was good in the world, he finished his thought as he forced his eyes to turn and look at the angel at his feet. He was about to break down when he heard clapping coming from behind him. Turning with the first blade raised in his hand he saw Gabriel approaching him._

_"Oh well done Dean-o. Very nice." Gabriel said to him bitterly, refusing to look at the bodies as he walked through them to stand right in front of Dean._

_"What do you want?" Dean growled feeling his hand tighten on the blade._

_"I was just wondering what you would be willing to do to survive?" Gabriel replied simply, clicking his fingers at the end of the sentence._

Dean woke up breathing hard. What the hell was that all about? Why the hell was he now dreaming about bloody Gabriel? Why was he remembering that? It had no baring whatsoever on his current situation. While he sat there, his pulse returning to normal, he thought over what had been said. He thought over the words that the Cas/him had said in the dream.

_"This is not about some prize fight between you and Cain, or some destiny that can't be stopped. This about you being to afraid to realise the truth." _

Was that what he really thought? Deep down in his subconscious? He had come to accept that he was going to die. That the mark would be the end to him. He had stopped looking for a solution, he knew that Cas and Sam would end him if he went dark side again. They wouldn't be able to leave him as he was and he was glad for that. But… what if he was wrong? What if there was a way to stop it? It was then that Gabriel's last words to him returned.

_"I was just wondering what you would be willing to do to survive?"_

What would he do to survive? It was a question he was no longer sure he knew the answer to. With these thoughts in his head he lay back down on his memory foam mattress and closed his eyes.

* * *

Gabriel had watched Dean process the dream from his corner of the room. He had heard the thoughts that went through his mind and when Dean lay back down and closed his eyes Gabriel let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that finally Dean was at least thinking the questions that he needed to ask before he could discover the answers. At least he was now thinking about the fact that there may well be a way out. A light at the end of his very dark tunnel.


	7. Chapter 7

_Dean was lying on his bed looking at the few photos he had of his family. He remembered this, it was right after Sam cured him of being a demon. He remembered looking at the photos hoping to concentrate on the good in his life and forget all the bad he had done._

_Suddenly there was a knock at his door and he quickly moved to hide the pictures away._

_"Come in." he said gruffly. He knew who was on the other side._

_The door opened to show Cas standing there. He looked at him with a sad smile on his lips, though his eyes betrayed the relief he felt at Dean being Dean again._

_"How are you feeling?" Cas asked walking into the room and sitting himself down on the edge of Deans bed all the while looking at the man lying on it._

_"I'm fine." Dean replied automatically. Cas just tilted his head at him remaining silent, inducing Dean to talk some more. "Not great…or even good but… okay, I think."_

_"Why are you in here and not out there helping Sam to find a cure for the Mark?" Cas asked confusing Dean, this most certainly wasn't how this memory went, but this was a dream. Things like that happened in them. Every got jumbled up so he just went with it. And as it was a dream he decided to answer Cas honestly._

_"I'm tired Cas. So tired." He replied quietly not looking at the angel perched on his bed._

_Cas smile with nostalgia. "I remember the last time you said that to me Dean." As this Dean turned to look the angel in the eyes trying to remember what Cas was remembering. "When you were going to say yes to Michael. I remember I beat the crap out of you and taking you back to Bobby's."_

_At that Dean smiled to, he remembered that time. Though it seems insignificant to what he was feeling now._

_"If only it were that simple now." He muttered into the quiet._

_"If you carry on this way it will be. Expect I will not be bringing you back Dean. I will be killing you." Cas replied evenly._

_"Good." Dean said turning to look into the angels eyes with determination._

_"Tell me Dean if our roles were reversed, would you be able to do it?" Cas asked with a tilt of his head._

_"I tried remember? I bound death to kill you." Dean replied with a humourless laugh._

_"You did. But first you did everything you could to stop me before it got that far." Cas said turning to look at his hands which were locked together in front of him._

_"So what, you're here to get me to try to stop the inevitable?" Dean asked with the raise of an eyebrow._

_"Nothing is inevitable. Nothing is set in stone Dean. Density can be rewritten. You yourself have proven that time and again." Cas said turning back to Dean._

_"Not this time." Dean replied turning back to looking up at his ceiling._

_"So is this what you want Dean?" Cas asked his angel blade appearing in his hand and holding it to Deans throat. "That we fight each other to the death?" the angel blade nicked Deans skin but still he didn't move. His eyes trapped by his angels. "Is this truly what our friendship has come too?" Cas finished lowering his blade as Dean saw the pain in his eyes._

_Suddenly the first blade was in his hand. He looked down at it frowning. Was this truly how he wanted it to end? Did he truly want to make his friend bare this burden?_

_He turned the blade in his hand watching how it reflected the light, finding peace and joy at the feel of it in his fingers. Turning to Cas he said "I'm sorry Cas. But I can't stop it."_

_"You can Dean. You are stronger that it. You just need to believe in yourself as I do." Dean let the words sink in but they didn't register, his mind had been taken over by the mark and the blade. He turned to Cas and smirked at him. Cas smiled back in return making his blade disappear again before he spoke one last time. "I will not kill you Dean, do what you must."_

_With that Dean rose from his bed and plunged the first blade through Cas torso as he put his arm around him so that he wouldn't fall as he died. He then pulled back and sat the watching the life fade from the celestial being. Once Cas was dead he carefully lay in down on the bed and lay down next to him. The first blade still in his hand as he rested across the dead angel's chest. Once comfortable Dean closed his eyes._

Dean woke with a start and automatically reached out for the body next to him. Finding the space empty he let out a sigh of relief. It had felt so real, but thank god that he hadn't truly killed Cas.

Once he realised this he sat up and ran his hands through his hair. Why was he constantly dreaming of killing Cas? He couldn't work it out. But he knew that each dream hurt just that bit more, to see himself kill Cas over and over again, he guessed this was how Cas had felt when Naomi had him kill thousands of Deans, damn it felt shit. With a shake of his head he decided to concentrate on other things. His mind went back to the conversation he and Cas had had. Could he really beat this? Was giving up the coward's way out? Was he truly putting an unimaginable burden on Cas without even trying to stop it? With that thought he turned to the clock on his bedside table and realised it was morning.

Pulling himself out of bed he went and showered, got dressed and got himself some breakfast, refusing to think of anything the dream might have brought up. Once he was done he walked through to the library to find his brother buried in books and on the net. He stood there watching him for a while unobserved by Sam. he knew what he was doing, he was trying to find a cure. Suddenly something Cas said in the dream rose in his mind however hard he tried to block it out.

_"Not is inevitable. Nothing is set in stone Dean. Density can be rewritten. You yourself have proven that time and again."_

With that thought he sighed and went over to his brother.

Sam was busy looking up the Mark of Cain. When he heard footsteps he looked up, guilty at being caught by Dean. Before his brother could speak he did.

"Look Dean, I know you. You can't just give up and I'm not going to let you okay? I'm not going to stop looking for a cure for this. Ever." He said passionately.

Dean looked down at him and sighed again. "I know. Pass me a book." He said resigned to his new decision and pulling out a chair.

Gabriel stood by the door to the library and watched Dean sit and start researching a cure. Finally he had found Dean's Achilles heel. Made him think about what his behaviour would do to those he cared for. That was good. Phase one was finally complete. With that thought he made his way back to Dean's room and sat back into his chair in the corner as he contemplated how to go about phase two.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello all. I would like to thank those of you who have favoured and followed this story since my last update. Its great to know that people are enjoying this still. Now I got the idea of this dream from Stargate Atlantis so I apologise for any similarities with that show. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or Stargate Atlantis.**

* * *

_Dean and Cas were sitting eating burgers in yet another dive bar. They all looked the same to Dean._

_"This is good. What is it?" Cas asked holding up a fry coated in ketchup._

_"I knew you two liked each other." Sam said from where he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed._

_"Dude, don't be gross. It's just dinner." Dean spluttered to reply. What the hell was his brain playing at now? I mean him and Cas? Him and CAS?! Please. _

_Suddenly another voice interrupted and looking round Dean saw Crowley walking round with a long roll of paper and a demon minion following him. _

_"This clause is wrong. It needs correcting." Crowley said handing the paper to the minion who disappeared and then turning his attention to the two having dinner. "Hello Squirrel, Kitten. Good to see you've both finally come out the closet." He remarked with a smirk before going to stand next to Sam._

_"What the actual hell?" Dean asked standing, suddenly the table in front of him disappeared and Cas was standing right in front of him, invading his personal space. "Damn it Cas. Personal space." He screeched, not the Cas listened to him he just tilted his head at Dean as if examining him._

_"Cas, what ya doing?" Dean asked starting to get a bit unnerved by Cas' proximately and his silent scrutiny._

_"They do not trust you. No one does but me." Cas replied putting his hand on Deans left arm, right over the place where he had seared a handprint into Dean's skin._

_"What you talking about?" Dean asked breathlessly as he looked into Cas eyes. Fear coursing through his body as Cas spoke his fears out loud._

_"You haven't been the same since you got the Mark of Cain." Cas spoke in his stolidly, revealing no emotions._

_Dean didn't know what to say. He knew he was different, but he was trying to fight it. He had decided to try and stop it, was this his dream telling him that it was impossible?_

_"I know Dean." Cas said moving his hand up to his cheek and stoking it gently as tears started to make their way out of Deans eyes, a sad smile now on the angels lips._

_"Know what?" Dean asked in a whisper, unsure if he truly wanted the answer to that question._

_"I know the cure." Cas replied. At that Dean reached out and grasped his wrist as Cas started to remove his hand from his face._

_"Tell me." He growled demandingly._

_"I'm sorry Dean but I can't do that. I can only show you the way, whether you walk the road or not is up to you." and with that Cas disappeared from in front of him only to reappear once again at the door of the bar._

_"You know you want to Squirrel. Just go." Crowley said in a strangely affectionate voice._

_"You need to see the truth Dean. Let it in." Sam begged from beside him._

_Confused Dean walked over to the door and looked through it to see all the dead Cas' from his previous dreams littered around the parking lot._

_"Tell me Dean. What do you feel when you see this?" the Cas next to him asked but Dean wasn't listening all he could do was look on in horror._

_Suddenly the first blade was once again in his hand and he looked at it with fear in his eyes._

_"Do you wish to add me to the rest?" Cas asked with a tilt of his head._

_"No." Dean croaked out. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't keep killing Cas everything he closed his eyes. He couldn't do it. With that thought he threw the blade across the room with a howl of pure anger. Turning to Cas his chest heaving with the force it took to give up the blade he saw a happy smile on Cas' face._

_"Well done Dean." Cas said putting his hand on Dean's chest gently. Through that touch Dean felt a peace seep through him, though he knew that peace wasn't coming from him, but from the being in front of him._

_"Cas, what are you doing to me?" He asked in a daze._

_"Showing you the road Dean." Cas said his voice echoing as everything around him plunged into blackness._

Dean woke with a gulp of air remembering the dream clearly. His heartbeat was racing he knew, just as he knew if he looked in the mirror right now he would see fear in his eyes. But still somewhere inside of him there was a residue of the peace that the dream Cas gave him. He searched his mind for it. Trying to work out what road he was being shown but the feeling escaped him, leaving him cold and alone. What the freakin' hell was going on in his head now? He thought as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair. He slowly got out of bed, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep again tonight. With that he pulled on his robe and made his way to the library. He might as well spend his waking time usefully and see if he could find a cure to this damn thing.

Gabriel retreated to his corner of Dean's room with a frown on his face. He had hoped that he had shown Dean the way in that dream but it seemed that while Dean had managed to overcome the pull of the blade to kill, he was still nowhere near the realisation that his salvation lay in Castiel's hands. Damn that stubborn man, he thought. He realised that he was just going to have to find the key to this lock now. Damn this was becoming such a bloody challenge. Why did he do this to himself? Why was he even trying to help this man? Though he knew the answer to that. It was plain and simple. The answer was Castiel. His brother.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello all. I would like to thank rainystv for the wonderful review. Glad you are liking the story.**

**So here is the next chapter I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was sitting on Bobby's sofa, across from him in a comfy armchair sat Cas. Between them was a coffee table covered in millions of tiny pieces of a jigsaw puzzle._

_"You once said we were family did you not Dean?" Cas asked not looking up from the puzzle pieces he was slowly assembling._

_"Yeah." Dean replied looking down at the puzzle but unable to identify what the picture would be when it was complete. There were so many pieces, and they were so small. He didn't think anyone would be able to complete it._

_"Do you still believe that?" Cas asked placing more pieces, seemingly randomly to Dean._

_"Of course." Dean said looking up at that question. Of course Cas was family. He would always be family to Dean._

_"That's good." Cas replied. After that they sat in silence for a while. It was a comfortable silence, it made Dean feel at peace, sitting there watching the angel as a frown occasionally graced his features as he studied a piece of the puzzle before it cleared and he placed it down. Dean's attention had long since left the confusing puzzle on the table and instead looked round the room. It was exactly as he remembered it, even if it was missing Bobby._

_"Does that now make my true name Castiel Winchester do you think?" Cas asked bringing Dean's attention back to the angel as he briefly looked up at the hunter, as if fearing what the answer would be though he had posed the question casually._

_"Yeah I guess so. If you want it to be." Dean replied honestly glad when that response gathered a small smile from his angel._

_"I would like that very much I think." Cas replied going back to his puzzle._

_"Why would you want to be a Winchester?" Dean asked. He couldn't see any reason why anyone would want to be one of them. They were cursed and doomed. Better off by far being anything else._

_"Because you are strong. Your family together can take on the world and win. You have provided this many times. I like to think I am strong." Cas replied not looking up from his puzzle._

_"You are Cas. Hell you're probably the strongest of all of us." Dean said sincerely._

_"No Dean. I am not. I traded following one for following another. It is the one who leads that is the strongest. And they are not always the ones who chose to do so. The best leaders are often those who have the position thrust upon them due to circumstance." Cas spoke absently as he continued to do his puzzle. He had managed to place most of the pieces now but Dean could still not see the picture. To him it just looked like swirls of colour._

_"So who are you following now?" Dean asked confused by Cas' previous statement._

_Cas looked up at him in shock at the question. As if the answer to that should be obvious to all. "You Dean. I follow you." He replied._

_"Don't think that's the best idea Cas. I ain't no one special." Dean said feeling uncomfortable about the devotion in Cas' voice._

_"You are to me Dean. And you always will be." Cas said placing the last piece into the puzzle before looking back up to the man opposite him. "I pulled you from hell and remade you once before. I will do it again if I have too." With that he turned the puzzle to Dean and finally he saw the picture. It was him. He could see the cracks where the picture had been broken into millions of pieces but Cas had put it back together perfectly so you had to look real close to notice them. "I would prefer not to do that however. I would prefer for you to find the road. Allow me to heal the cracks." With that Cas waved his hand across the puzzle and the pieces fused together into the whole picture. "I do not want to have to rebuild that which is still whole Dean. I just want to heal the wounds."_

_And with that Cas disappeared. Dean looked around but he couldn't see him so instead he looked back down at the picture and noticed for the first time the difference between before Cas had fused the cracks and now. The cracks had previously depicted the Mark of Cain on his arm, now in the whole picture, the Mark of Cain was gone._

Dean woke with a start. His eyes shooting open so fast he thought that he had heard something and thus reached for his knife without thought. But slowly the dream came back to him. He remembered the conversation he had had with Cas and more importantly he remembered the puzzle. Was his dream trying to tell him something? He wasn't a damn prophet, nor was he psychic in anyway, but he was sure that his dream was telling him that the key to his salvation from the Mark of Cain lay in the hands of the angel Castiel. Though he was rather confused by the whole family conversation and the Castiel Winchester bit. I mean really what the hell was that all about? He guessed his mind was just doing crazy dream shit for that bit. With that he rolled over to fall back to sleep again and for the first time in a long time he hoped he would dream. If Cas was the key, he needed to find the lock he would fit to save him.

* * *

Gabriel retreated to the corner of the room quickly. He hadn't expected Dean to wake so quickly, he had almost been caught. Almost but not quite. No hunter was as quick as an archangel. Shaking his head at these thoughts he delved into Dean's mind to see what he made of the latest dream. He was glad when he saw that Dean had come to realise that Cas was the key but when he dismissed the family conversation and the Castiel Winchester bit he wanted knock his head against a wall. I mean how much clearer could he get? With another shake of his head he realised that he would just have to pace himself and Dean. Either that or just flood the empty space in Dean's head that he called his brain. With a sigh he looked over at the man and realised he had fallen back to sleep. With that he made his way once more to Dean's side, putting his fingers on his forehead and entering his dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello people. I would like to thank****tmk13 (Guest) for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

**So here's the next chapter, again the bits in italics are dreams.** **Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was laughing, laughing more than he had in a long time, with his hand resting on Cas' shoulder. He knew this memory it was just after they had been kicked out the brothel for Cas telling the girl that it wasn't her fault her father had left. Even now, all these years later, he still found that he smiled at that memory. At Cas' cluelessness. His innocence. With that thought he squeezed Cas' shoulder, not sure what to say. The angel had changed so much over the years. Before he could speak the dream changed._

_He was in a bar with human Cas. It was the time he told Cas he had to go for a second time. He didn't want to have that conversation again. He opened his mouth to apologise to dream Cas but something else came out instead._

_"__You know the one you slept with?"_

_"__And the one you then stabbed." Cas replied._

_"__Yeah, she was hot." Dean said, glad that this was the conversation they were having and not the one where he told Cas to go._

_"__She was sooooo hot." Cas relied with a smile._

_Watching him Dean noticed now different human Cas was to the angel version of himself. He seemed more real somehow._

_"__Cas why were you so different when you were human?" he asked curiously, this was his dream after all. It's not like this was the real Cas he was asking the question to. And you never know, maybe his subconscious had answers._

_"__As a human I felt more. No that's not right. I felt things stronger than I did as an angel. Then most of the emotions I feel are muted." Cas replied with a frown on his face as he tried to explain it to him. _

_"__Most?" Dean asked._

_"__Yes there are some that are as strong no matter what I am." Cas replied not looking up at Dean as he spoke quietly. Once he had spoken a comfortable silence descended on the two friends as Dean digested all that Cas had just said. Finally the angel shook his head and turned to Dean. "Why do you ask?"_

_"__I just wondered I guess. I mean you've never really talked about it and I wondered if you preferred being an angel or human I guess." Dean replied with a shrug and taking a drink of the beer he had in his hand._

_"__While being a human was an interesting experience I am an angel Dean. Nothing can change that." Cas replied stoically._

_"__Yeah I know." Dean said almost wistfully._

_"__Did you prefer me as a human Dean?" Cas asked curious as to what Deans answer would be._

_"__No man. You're Cas. With or without your grace you're still Cas to me." Dean replied vehemently. It was true he would always be Cas no matter what._

_"__Thank you Dean." Cas said sincerely._

_"__What for?" Dean asked confused about where his mind was going with this._

_"__For being there for me." Cas replied with a small smile for the man sitting next to him._

_"__Don't, don't thank me. I wasn't always." Dean said with a frown of his own on his face. Why did his subconscious think that? He knew he hadn't always been there for Cas, even if Cas had always been there for him._

_"__You are when it matters." Cas replied with a shrug taking a sip of his own beer._

_"__No I'm not." Dean responded disgusted with himself for even thinking it in his mind._

_"__You will be." Cas said with a very un-Cas-like smile on his face as he looked at Dean._

_"__How can you be so sure?" Dean asked curious, maybe this was the bit he was looking for. The bit which would tell him how Cas could help him cure the Mark of Cain._

_"__Because I know you will find the path." And with that Cas disappeared. Leaving Dean to roll his eyes at the cryptic message and sit alone drinking his beer as he thought over all that had been said._

Dean woke the next morning wondering about his dream. It had seemed so real. As if Cas had really been there. But that wasn't possible, not any more. With a shake of his head to remove the slight pain he felt at that thought he got out of bed to start his day, concentrating on the good bits of the dream. The happy memories. It was then he started to wonder. Just what feelings his subconscious thought Cas felt as an angel and a human with equal strength.

* * *

Gabriel was anxious when Dean awoke, wondering if he had been able to play Castiel as Dean knew him. He hadn't meant for the conversation to go the way it had, but as soon as Dean asked his question he knew he would have to answer it. And he was thankful to the man for all he had done for his brother. He was glad that Castiel had this connection with Dean. Their profound bond. Once he was sure that Dean didn't see any difference in the Cas that he had spoken to in his dream and the real thing he let out a sigh of relief and went back to trying to think of ways to make Dean see the truth.


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's the next bit. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was standing in the grotty corridor watching Cas kiss Meg against the wall with passion. He wondered why he was dreaming of this, but then a disembodied voice sounded inside his head._

_"__How does this make you feel Dean?"_

_At that Dean just shook his head and though he tried not to he found himself concentrating on how it made him feel. It was confusing, cos while he was happy that Cas was getting some, it was with Meg, a damn demon. It was just wrong, an angel and a demon. Also Cas shouldn't be doing that. He should be innocent and pure, and it was Dean who had corrupted him. And then there was a feeling he couldn't identify, its meaning alluding him. It was something he wasn't entirely sure he had ever felt before. _

_Suddenly Cas pulled back from the kiss and spoke. "I learnt that from the pizza man." _

_The dream changed again and now he was sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a non-descript motel room. He could be anywhere, at any time in his life he thought looking round. Suddenly a movement towards the bathroom door caused Dean to look that way. It was then he saw Cas emerge from the doorway wearing his old trench coat, trousers, shirt and backwards blue tie. He raised his hands out to the side as if it say what do you think? Looking at Cas in those clothes did something to Dean, but he had no idea what. It was if he hadn't seen Cas dressed like that for ages and now that he was he knew that Cas was back. Then it clicked. This was when Cas had returned from purgatory. _

_He looked him up and down again without saying a word. He once again had a strange feeling he couldn't identify, though this one was different from the last. This one made him feel uncomfortable, like he wasn't in control and he didn't like it one bit. He shifted on his seat, trying to remove it._

_Suddenly he was driving his baby down a dark backroad. Turning to the passenger seat next to him he found Cas sitting there. This didn't surprise him, not any more. It seemed his brain had become obsessed with the angel and the way to cure himself of the Mark._

_"__How many of the times we have been together do you think you would have on your road in heaven?" Cas asked watching as the scenery disappeared past them in the dark._

_This question surprised Dean. It wasn't one he had ever thought about. "I don't know, why?" he asked the angel beside him._

_"__I was just wondering how important I was to you Dean." Cas replied turning to look him in the eyes._

_"__You're very important to me Cas. Your family." Dean said with a definite tone._

_"__So you believe I would be in many of them?" Cas asked tilting his head._

_"__Yeah." Dean said in complete agreement. He couldn't picture his heaven without Sam and Cas in it too._

_"__Good. I like that. I like to think that I would share your heaven in some small way." Cas replied going back to looking out the window._

_"__Course you would Cas. And you know the real you would always be welcome too." Dean said looking to the side at Cas._

_"__Thank you Dean. I think I would like that even more." Cas replied turning back to Dean with a smile on his lips._

_"__Yeah so would I." and with that Dean turned back to driving down the dark road, relaxed and enjoying the quiet company of the angel beside him._

When Dean woke the next morning the relaxed comfortable feeling he had had in the car in his dream continued into his waking world. He felt at peace for the first time in a long time and he realised that it was the dreams that were doing it. There was something in them that made him feel good, though he wasn't completely sure what it was. He knew it was connected to Cas. Well if that was the way his dreams wanted to do it then so be it. That would be the way it was done.

Gabriel leaned back against the wall and tried really hard not to bang his head against it. Dean was so freakin' dim sometimes. That dream was clear. When Cas kissed Meg he had been jealous. When Cas came out in his coat and tie he had found him hot, how the hell could Dean freakin' Winchester miss that? He wasn't that blind when it came to frigging women, maybe he should just change Casitel's gender and throw him at Dean, maybe that would work. He thought sarcastically. He was getting so fed up with this now. But he wouldn't give up. He wasn't going to let Dean Winchester bet him. He would find a way. He would get through the stubborn man's head somehow.


	12. Chapter 12

**And yet another chapter for all you lovely people.**

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was sitting on his bed in the bunker with Cas watching TV. Looking at the show he saw that Balthazar was on the screen talking to him and Sam. What the hell?_

_"__I'm not the angel in the trench coat who is in love with you." Balthazar said to the on screen him._

_Suddenly the scene changed and there was him and Meg standing outside Rufus' cabin._

_"__He was your boyfriend first." She said to him before turning away. The on screen him turned to Cas who was in the car._

_He knew these scenes they had actually happened. Really what the actual hell was going on with this dream? It seemed that the TV was concentrating on scenes where people thought that Cas loved him. Which is a joke right?  
_

_"You really don't feel that way about me right?" He said to the angel next to him a hopeful-ish voice.  
_

_"We're family Dean." Cas replied enigmatically.  
_

_"Right. You know that not really an answer." Dean said crossing his arms. Now the thought was in his head he really wanted an actual answer. Though he refused to dwell on the why that accompanied that thought._

_"__I know." Was all Cas said in reply._

_"__So you going to answer?" Dean asked turning to watch Cas._

_"__No more than I just did. Now shh I want to know what happens next." Cas said not turning to look at Dean making him roll his eyes._

_"__You know what happens next Cas. We lived it." he said in exasperation. He really didn't want to watch his life on TV thank you very much._

_"__Maybe I want to see it from a different perspective." Cas replied still not looking at him which Dean was starting to find slightly annoying._

_"__Why?" Dean asked confused._

_"__Why not?" was all Cas said to this with a small smile on his lips._

_Dean really didn't have an answer to that so he just huffed and turned to the TV, watching the show of his life. It was actually not that bad and it was really peaceful doing that with the angel next to him._

Dean woke that morning after this dream feeling yet again relaxed and at peace, and just accepted his dreams crazy fascination with Cas. He wasn't killing him and maybe there was some helpful info in all the dreams he had had recently. He would have to find a time to go through them at some point. With that thought he bounded out of bed and into the shower. Once dressed he went to the library to see if he could find a case. It had been too long since he and Sam had been out there doing what they did best, saving people and hunting things.

* * *

Gabriel sat back, sort of pleased with what he had accomplished within Deans sleeping mind. At least the man could fight the Mark and had accepted that Cas was vital to his survival. He decided that Dean was right. He did need some time to go over the dreams he had been having, with that thought he decided he would stay at the bunker while the boys went on the case. Hopefully Dean would have realised his feelings for Cas and that vice versa was also true by the time he returned. Though he was sure that that was extreme wishful thinking on his part.


	13. Chapter 13

**the last chapter for now and yes I know it is very short. This one is a little different as there are no dreams in it. It is set around season 10 episode 16 "Paint it Black".**

**Hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

On the journey to the case he had found Dean reflected on how he had for the first time in years actually been enjoying his dreams. All of them over the last few days had been just him and Cas relaxing and having a laugh together. As well as the slightly irritating hints dream Cas dropped about finding his road. But at least he wasn't killing anyone in them so that was a vast improvement. He had even stopped drinking so much so he could remember them and had started actually getting a decent number of hours sleep.

His waking life was still shit. The Mark constantly there burning under his skin and he and Sam were nowhere near finding a cure. But he had found that when it got too bad if he closed his eyes and remembered one of his recent good dreams it helped him to fight the feeling. It brought him a sense of peace.

Sam on the other hand was getting more and more worried about Dean. Yes he had cut down on his alcohol intake, but now it seemed like every free minute he had he was sleeping. Sam couldn't see how Dean's dreams would be pleasant and therefore when Dean awoke refreshed and somewhat peaceful from his slumber he was afraid of what the Mark was doing to his brothers subconscious. He had tried to talk to Dean about it but he just brushed him off. He didn't know what to do.

* * *

By the end of the case Dean was tried. The dreams that had made him feel so at peace in the bunker had deserted him on the road. The Mark was once again a tingling reminder on his arm and the weight of the burden he carried was heavy on his shoulders. It was for that reason that when he went to confession to trick the ghost into coming after him he said so much more than he had planned. He had hoped that speaking in the house of God would help him find his peace once more. But it didn't work that way. So as he drove back to the bunker all he could think was that he hoped the dreams returned once he got home cos if they didn't he was fast approaching disbelief in his theory that Cas was the key to it all. That they would ever find a cure.

Sam was getting worried. He had noticed during this case that Dean was different than he was at the bunker, though his refusal to talk hadn't changed. He no longer woke up relaxed and he had started drinking more heavily. They had just finished a case with a ghost in a church, during the course of which Dean had gone to confession. Not that he would speak to Sam about that either. But there might be one person he would talk to. With that thought Sam pulled out his phone to call Castiel and ask him to meet them back at the bunker. If anyone could get Dean to talk it would be his angel.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello all, I'm back again. I would like to thank rainystv for the wonderful review as well as all those of you who have favoured and followed since my last up date. All you guys are awesome.**

**So here's the next bit. Again the bits in italic are dreams.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the lines I have taken from the show.**

* * *

_Dean was back in the confessional in the church and the words were once again coming out of his mouth._

_"What if I said I didn't want to die, yet. That I wasn't ready."_

_"Are you expecting to?"_

_"Always, the life I live, the work I do, I pretty much figured that was all there was to me you know? Tear around, jam the key in the ignition and haul ass until I ran out of gas. I guess I just thought, sooner or later I would go out the same was I live, pedal to the metal and that would be it."_

_"But now?"_

_"Now, um, some recent events, er, made me think that I might be closer to that than I really thought, and, I don't know, I mean, you know, there's things, there's people, feelings that I want to experience differently than I have before, or maybe even for the first time."_

_"Go a little deeper perhaps than with Gina."_

_"Yeah, yeah I'm just starting to think maybe there's more to it all than I thought."_

_While he was speaking these things he thought over the words. He didn't need to think of what to say, he had already said it. No now, in this dream he could concentrate on the meaning behind it all._

_When he got to the part about people and feelings he wanted to experience differently in his mind he could see an image of Cas, which confused him. How could his relationship with Cas be any different? Then with the last line that came from his lips, "I'm just starting to think there's more to it all than I thought" he remembered all the dreams he had had recently. All the feelings he had ignored or locked away. And he realised what it was his subconscious had been trying to tell him. He had feelings for Cas. As in romantic feelings for Cas._

Dean shot awake, his eyes flying open and his body pulling him up into a sitting position as this realisation hit. "Son of a bitch." he muttered while he was breathing heavily and sweat was pouring off of him. No it couldn't, that couldn't, he couldn't...

Dean pulled himself out of his bed and made his way to the sink to splash cold water onto his face in an attempt to sort out his crazy thoughts. Leaning down against the sink taking deep breaths he allowed the thoughts to flow.

He couldn't have romantic feelings for Cas. He wasn't a homo. Not that there was anything wrong with it, he just wasn't. He liked women. Yeah okay objectively Cas' vessel was an attractive guy, but that didn't mean he fancied him. He had met Jimmy and he had had no feelings towards the guy. Yeah okay so Cas was an angel and therefore technically genderless. But he was in a male vessel, and Dean didn't like him that way. No way. Yeah okay he had sexy eyes, and damn could he pull off a trench coat, but he was a man or angel or whatever, he was Dean's best friend, and he did not go round getting teenage crushes on his best friend. No way. This had to be the Marks doing. Somehow it was effecting him. Making him think he liked Cas, cos he didn't, he couldn't. With that Dean looked up into the mirror in front of him and unbidden by him, his mind conjured up the image of the angel appearing behind him as he had done so often in the past. Looking at him with he amazing blue eyes and emotionless face. Looking at him as if he could save the world. Dean once again started breathing heavily, he needed to get out of the bathroom, with that thought he went back to sit on his bed, trying to convince himself that he didn't like Cas, that he wasn't interested in him sexually, that it was all the Marks doing and that it meant nothing. But every time he reiterated these things in his mind they sounded more and more hollow to his ears. Cos the truth was the complete opposite.

* * *

Gabriel stood and listened in on Deans big gay freak out monologue and found that he was actually rather enjoying himself. This man had been a pain in his ass for weeks, and there was nothing like a bit of revenge to make him feel better. And watching Dean panic was extremely hilarious in his opinion. Dean had just got to the staring in the mirror bit when Gabriel felt another angel in the building. Frowning he quietly made his way to the door and out of Deans room. He wanted to see just which of his brothers or sisters was visiting the Winchesters. Keeping his grace cloaked so no angel would know he was there he made his way quickly to the library where he heard voices.

"Thanks for coming Cas." Sam said to the angel standing next to him.

"You are welcome Sam. How is he?" Castiel asked looking towards the rooms the boys had taken to be theirs.

"Not good." Sam replied with a sigh, running his hand through his hair.

"What is wrong do you know?" Castiel asked turning back to the younger Winchester.

"Yeah right like Dean would tell me." Sam said sarcastically, and when the only response he got from Cas was a head tilt he continued. "Its almost like he's two different people you know? When we're here at the bunker he drinks less, sleeps more and is generally relaxed and happy. But when we went out on a case he reverted back to his old alcoholic self, with the Mark effecting him. I just don't know what's going on. It's almost as if there is something here that is effecting him you know? I was wondering if the blade could be-"

"No Sam. I hid that well." Castiel interrupted. There was no way the blade could be effecting Dean now.

"Okay well I don't know what it is then. Maybe he'll talk to you?" Sam asked hopefully. If Dean would talk to anyone it would be his angel.

"I will speak to him. Where is he?" Castiel asked, though he had a pretty good idea.

"In his room sleeping, again." Sam replied tiredly.

"Very well I will go and see him now, and Sam, maybe you should get some rest as well." and with that Castiel made his way towards the area in which Deans room was situated as Sam rolled his eyes at the angles bluntness and decided to take his advice.

* * *

Gabriel listened to Sam and Castiel. He was glad his brother was here and he wasn't surprised that Sam had figured out that something here was effecting Dean, he just hoped they didn't work out it was him. He didn't think Castiel would take to kindly to that, not to mention Sam and Deans reactions. With a shake of his head he followed his little bro down to Deans room. He was definitely looking forward to how this conversation would go.

* * *

Dean was still siting on his bed, through his breathing had calmed somewhat when a knock sounded on his door making him frown. Sam didn't knock, in fact only one person he knew of did-

Deans thoughts were interrupted as the door to his room opened. Looking up he found himself staring into the deep blue eyes he had been trying, without any success, to remove from his mind.

"Hello Dean." Castiel said to him amicably, coming into the room to stand in front of him.

All Dean could do was stare up at the angel as the feelings crashed through his body. He couldn't stop them, cos this was no dream version or mirage. This was the real deal. The real angel standing before him, watching his every move.

"Cas..." Dean breathed out the name as if in reverence, unable to break the eye contact he had with the angel.

"Dean are you all right?" Castiel asked tilting his head at his friend with a frown. Dean was behaving very oddly and it worried him.

That question snapped Dean out of his thoughts of grabbing the angel in front of him and pressing there lips together. He didn't feel that way about him damn it. He tore his eyes from Cas' before he replied.

"I'm fine Cas. Just had a weird ass dream."

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Castiel asked gently.

"NO. I mean no, its nothing important. In fact I think I should try to get some more sleep you know?" Dean hurried to say. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss his dream with Cas. In fact right now he didn't want to discuss anything with Cas.

"Very well Dean." Castiel replied sitting himself down on the chair by the desk.

"Er dude, what you doing?" Dean asked confused, he needed Cas to leave.

"I am watching over you while you sleep Dean." Castiel replied as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.

"How many times Cas. That's creepy, go watch me from outside the room." Dean said lying down on his bed, refusing to let himself look at the angel. He couldn't have him in the room with him while he tried to sleep. God knows what his dreams would come up with next.

"Very well Dean. But if you need me, you only have to call." Castiel said conceding defeat and leaving Deans room closing the door behind him.

Dean let out a sigh of relief when Cas left, he rolled onto his side, hoping that any other dreams he had that night would not be so crazy as his previous one. It wasn't like he could leave and get drunk after all. Cas was sure to hear him if he did that. With a sigh on that thought he closed his eyes.

* * *

Leaning against the door to Dean's room Castiel heard the sighs Dean let out and the rustling he made as he got comfortable. Castiel closed his eyes as he rested his head against the wooden door and let his mind conjure up the image of Dean sleeping. With a sigh of his own he got himself as comfortable as he could, he wasn't moving from this door until Dean left his room. It was his job to watch over his friend and watch over him he would, for as long as he could.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello again. So here is the next bit. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the lines I have taken from the show.**

* * *

Gabriel stood by the wall and watched the way Dean behaved with Castiel, reading his mind with ease. why was he such a god damn stubborn man? Once Castiel had left and Dean had managed to fall back to sleep Gabriel made his way over to him and put his fingers to his forehead. it was time to make this man see the truth and accept it.

_Dean was in the crypt where they had found the angel tablet, he saw the box in which it was held and knew what was coming next. If he had been in his right mind he would have wondered why he was having this dream now, but after the revelations of the last dream his mind was in complete confusion, therefore he just went wherever his mind wanted to take him._

_He didn't listen to the words being spoken or concentrate on the ones that left his own lips. Suddenly Cas had his wrist in his hand and twisted it. Cas proceeded to beat him while words poured from his mouth. Cas was repeatedly hitting him, then his grip on his blade changed, so that it was now pointing at Dean and he suddenly heard the words he was saying._

_"we need you, I need you ...I love you."_

_"YES."_

At the shout Dean shot up on his bed with his knife in his hand, opening his eyes he found that he was holding at the throat of an, what he had thought was dead, archangel.

"Gabriel." He growled up at him.

"Oops." Gabriel replied with a shrug completely unconcerned about Dean holding a knife to his throat. When Dean didn't move the weapon he continued. "You do know that that won't hurt me right?"

"Yeah I know. But this one will." Dean said holding up the angel blade he kept on his bedside table.

"Ah yes. Now that is true." and with that Gabriel disappeared.

"Gabriel? Gabriel." Dean yelled and when the archangel didn't return he continued his rant. "What the hell was this about hu? Cos I know its been you in my dreams. What is this? Your idea of fun? Why the hell can't you just leave me alone you dick. You cause nothing but trouble."

"I have to disagree with that Dean-o." Gabriel said as he reappeared leaning against the wall of Deans room.

"Oh yeah? So what the hell do you call it?" Dean demanded standing up with the angel blade still in his hand.

"I've just being trying to teach you a lesson Dean-o, it's what I do remember?" Gabriel replied with sincerity in his voice, it was the truth after all. Not that he would expect Dean to believe that. The guy was nothing but a stubborn ass.

"And what lesson would that be hu? That you have the power to make me have different feelings for someone than I do?" Dean ranted at him again. He couldn't believe this. It was Gabriel who had been messing with his mind. Making him have feelings for Cas. It was really some sick kinda joke the asshole was playing on him.

At that Gabriel stood up straight. He needed Dean to get his head out of his ass and see the frigging light.

"I didn't make you have different feelings for Castiel Dean. As the saying goes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink." He said evenly. They would never have a sensible conversation if they were both shouting.

"What the hell you going on about?" Dean asked confused, what did horses have to do with any of this?

"Your love for my little bro have always been there Dean, right from the start when he pulled you out of hell." Gabriel explained calmly what he had been trying to show Dean from the beginning.

"What? no." Dean denied, it couldn't be true he couldn't really love Cas could he?

"Yes Dean. Open you damn eyes and see what everyone else has realised long ago." Gabriel replied with exasperation now seeping into his voice.

At that Deans eyes widen as he realised that yes he was indeed in love with Castiel, angel of the lord. With this realisation he sat back down on his bed, the weapon in his hand forgotten as it clattered to the floor at his feet.

"Why? Why now?" Dean asked quietly, looking up at Gabriel as if he had all the answers, and maybe he did.

"Because you need him Dean. Now more than ever." Gabriel replied quietly leaning back against the wall.

"What?" Dean asked confused. Why would he need Cas now?

"Cain had Colette, you have Castiel. I thought that even you could work that out." Gabriel replied with a roll of his eyes. Dean could be really dumb sometimes.

"but Cain, he started killing again." Dean said in a fearful voice. He didn't want to go dark side. And even though Cain had had Colette he had still killed again.

"yeah cos Colette wasn't there to stop him. Dean you need to let Castiel in, and when you do, he will be all you will need to fight the pull of the Mark." Gabriel replied with a quiet sincerity in his voice. He needed to make Dean see, before it was too late.

"But its not a cure is it?" Dean asked bitterly, even if he admitted his feeling to Cas he would still have the mark on his arm.

"No, but it's a solution, for now, until the cure is found." Gabriel replied with shrug. It was the best he could do, for now.

"Is there a cure?" Dean asked resigned to Gabriel telling him no, therefore he was quite surprised when Gabriel replied with the opposite.

"yes."

"Do you know it?" He asked getting hopeful. Maybe Gabriel could help him remove the Mark. He was an archangel after all and it was Lucifer who gave it to Cain in the first place.

"I'm working on it. But it isn't going to work if you go dark side again. You do that and there is nothing in heaven, hell or on earth that can save you." and with that Gabriel once again disappeared.

* * *

Castiel was resting against the door when he heard a familiar voice shout "yes". At the sound of Gabriel's voice his eyes flew open and he was about to run into Deans room when Gabriel spoke to him.

"Wait brother. Just listen." And against his better judgement Castiel found himself doing just that.

* * *

Once Gabriel was gone Dean was left in shock. He didn't know what to think any more. Suddenly the door to his room was opened and there silhouetted in the doorway was Castiel, angel of the lord.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello all. I would like to thank rainystv and Little Cinch for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have favoured and followed this story since my last update.**

**So here's the next chapter I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean sat on his bed staring at Cas as he stood in the shadowed doorway. It felt like time stood still for a second and they were frozen in place, waiting for some decision to be made. For one of them to choose a path in the fork in the road that was in front of them. And then Castiel moved and the moment was gone.

"Cas." Dean whispered as the angel sat next to him on the bed and turned to face him.

"Yes." Was all Castiel responded with.

Dean turned to look at the space in front of him not sure what to say but knowing he had to say something.

"Gabriel was here." He finally managed to get out.

"I know." Castiel replied.

"How?" Dean asked turning back to his angel.

"I heard your conversation." Castiel said not taking his eyes off of the man in front of him. His hunter.

At that sentence Dean once again looked away, trying to control his breathing. How much had Cas heard? Did he know about Deans feelings for him? Oh god don't let him know that.

"I know Dean. I've always known." Castiel said when his previous statement gathered no response.

At that Dean put his head in his hands. Seemed he really was the last to know. What must Cas think of him? A lowly human damned to hell more than once. Christ he'd even been a demon, not just possessed by one but an actual evil son of a Bitch. He wasn't fit to even be in the angel's presence and yet he had the audacity to go and fall in l- have feelings for Castiel. He was nothing compared to the angel next to him, a bug beneath his shoe. He wasn't worthy of anything. Not anymore.

Castiel watched Dean, wondering what was going through his mind. But he won't intrude, that wasn't what friends did. He would wait for Dean to speak.

"I'm so sorry Cas." Dean finally managed to get out past the lump which seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his throat.

"What for Dean?" Castiel asked with his signature tilt of his head. Not that Dean could see it. He still had his head buried in his hands.

"I didn't mean...I never meant... You should go." Dean replied his breathing heavy and uneven.

Castiel frowned at this. "Why?" he asked confused.

"Why?" Dean repeated incredulously, finally looking up at the angel. "He asks why?"

Castiel looked at Dean and he could finally see the tear tracks that where down his cheeks. Why had Dean been crying? He wanted to do something to help, but he didn't know what the problem was.

"Yes Dean. Why?" Castiel asked again gently. He wanted to understand, to fix it. He didn't like seeing his human cry.

"Because, well just because." Dean said in response waving his arms around as if that explained everything.

"Dean." Castiel replied sternly.

"Fine. Your my friend Cas and friends don't… they just don't okay." Dean replied before turning from Cas and muttering, "Hell I don't even know why we are still friends."

At that Castiel understood. It had been Dean's problem from the start. It had always been his problem.

"You have no faith." Castiel said in contemplatively, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together, looking towards the wall just as Dean was.

"I don't think god has anything to do with this Cas." Dean replied with a humourless laugh.

At that Castiel turned back to Dean. "I was not talking of my father Dean. I was talking about you. You have no faith in yourself."

At that Dean just gulped and resolutely continued to stare at the wall in front of him. Not that he was seeing it. His eyes had once again started to fill with tears that were blurring his vision. Cas knew, he knew everything and he would leave and never come back. Suddenly he felt a hand on the side of his face turning his head.

* * *

Castiel sat looking at the man next to him with deep sorrow in his eyes. How could Dean not believe in himself after all he had achieved? He had done so much good, saved so many people. But who was going to save him? It was then that the words he had spoken to Dean when they had first met face to vessel came to his mind.

_"__Why did you save me?"_

_"__Because god ordered me too."_

It seemed that even after all these years he was still following that order. With that thought he raised his hand to Dean's wet cheek and turned him so their eyes met before he spoke.

"Do not worry Dean. I have enough faith in you for the both of us." And with that he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips gently to Deans. He didn't do it because he expected a response, which was good because he didn't get one, he did it because he needed to, he needed to show Dean what he truly meant to him. Once he pulled away he looked his hunter in the eyes before he said with compete sincerity "I love you Dean Winchester."

* * *

"I love you Dean Winchester." The words were spoken with so much conviction that they broke down every resistance, every wall Dean had. He found himself pulling the angel beside him towards him and burying his head in his shoulder as he cried. Letting out all the feelings and emotions he had been holding in for what seemed like for ever. Crying for the good and the bad that had happened in his life. For the good and bad he had done. For everything that had led to this point in time. For everything that had made him and the angel beside the people they now where. And in the end he found he was crying because he could stop, he collapsed against Cas and allowed, for the first time in years, someone to hold him. To support him. To be his strength, if only for a little while.

* * *

Castiel held Dean as he cried, stroking his hand through his hair in the way he had seen humans do when they offered comfort to another. When Dean sank against him he held him tighter, hoping Dean would know through his actions that he would always be there for him. Would always be there to catch him if he fell, to help him pick himself up from the dirt. Castiel was Dean Winchesters angel and there was nothing he wouldn't do for his man. And he was pretty sure that everyone knew it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello again. Here's the next bit. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Once Dean had cried himself into exhaustion Castiel lay him gently down on his bed, tucking the covers around him. He then leaned in and gently kissed the sleeping human on the forehead as he had once watched Mary Winchester do to her son. He then pulled back, ran his hands once more through Dean's hair before saying quietly, "Sleep well Dean. Angels are watching over you."

With that done he made his way to the door and gently pulled it closed behind him as he left. There was someone he needed to talk to. And it would be best if he did it alone. With that thought he made his way back to the library where he knew that person was waiting. Walking in he saw Gabriel leaning back on a chair with his feet up on the table.

"You took you time bro." Gabriel said as Castiel approached.

"Why are you here Gabriel?" Castiel asked narrowing his eyes at him.

"Well I thought that was obvious. I'm here to get you and Dean-o together." Gabriel replied with a smirk on his face.

"Why?" was all Castiel asked.

"You know why Cassie." Gabriel replied with a roll of his eyes.

"You did not have to do that." Castiel stated staring at his brother with mistrust in his eyes.

"Oh please, if I had left it to you and him we would all be waiting forever. I mean you've had years and you've made no headway with Dean Winchester. Whereas I have made him confess his love for you in weeks." Gabriel replied removing his feet from the table and sitting up straight, returning Castiel's narrow eyed stare.

"There was another way to go about doing it Gabriel. You did not have to interfere with his dreams." Castiel replied crossly. Gabriel had crossed a line in his mind.

"Oh believe me, had I been at full power I would have had so much more fun. I could come up with such a wonderful little pocket dimension which could have persuaded him to see the light sooo much quicker." Gabriel replied equally firmly. He stood by what he had done.

"He would have come to the realisation on his own Gabriel. You did not need to interfere." Castiel re-iterated.

"Yeah right. Are we talking about the same Dean Winchester here? Cos he was so far in denial it made Mickey's belief that having his little spat with Luci would bring Daddy dearest back all proud of him a reasonable assumption." Gabriel replied standing up and walking close to Castiel getting into his personal space and staring him down. but Castiel would not be cowed by him.

"What is the cure for the mark?" He asked not moving away.

"Only an archangel can remove it. Or at least that's the only cure I know of." Gabriel replied with a shrug and turning from Castiel to pretend interest in the books on the table.

"Then why aren't you doing it Gabriel instead of playing these games." Castiel asked walking towards his brother. How could he leave Dean like this? What was wrong with him?

"In case you haven't noticed Castiel, someone's locked the gates to heaven. Know anything about that by any chance?" Gabriel asked rounding on Castiel with a glare, how dare Castiel of all angels accuse him of not helping.

"Gabriel." Castiel replied with a growl.

"I don't have the power. To remove the mark, I need full access to my juice." Gabriel explained raising his arms to his side as if saying, isn't that obvious?

"And to get that you need to unlock heaven." Castiel replied wearily, finally realising what Gabriel was saying.

"Bingo." Gabriel smirked.

"Do you know how?" Castiel asked, hope in his voice at the thought. If anyone other than Metatron knew it would be Gabriel.

"I'm working on it." was Gabriel's noncommittal answer.

"How if you have spent the last few weeks here in Deans dreams?" Castiel asked shaking his head. Of course Gabriel didn't know how.

"This is a marathon, not a sprint Cassie. I needed to make sure that Dean would be stable before I went to all the trouble of finding the cure." Gabriel explained sitting back down in the chair and pulling a book towards him flicking through the pages.

"Why are you helping?" Castiel asked moving to sit at the table to, though not next to Gabriel.

"What are you the only angel allowed to help the Winchesters?" Gabriel asked looking up from the book he wasn't really reading.

"No but I do not believe it is your nature to do so out of the goodness of your own heart, so what is it you want Gabriel?" Castiel asked leaning forwards and resting his elbows on the table in front of him while still staring at his brother.

"How you wound me Castiel." Gabriel replied with a tragic look on his face and putting a hand over his heart. Castiel just raised an eyebrow at him waiting for the truth. Gabriel rolls eyes and continued. "Fine. I caught a rerun your and Metatron's little show up in heaven. Maybe I decided it was time I did something to help my family."

"That does not explain why you are helping the Winchesters." Castiel stated. He wanted the truth from his brother and he was going to get it.

"Well their your family aren't they? What was it Metatron said? You drape yourself in the flag of heaven but in fact you did it all to save one man? Something like that. Well I thought if you'll take over heaven to save Dean-o the least I could do was save him from himself. And as I was planning to find a way to reopen heaven anyway, it doesn't take much more to save Dean-o as well." Gabriel replied with a shrug, not looking Castiel in the eyes as he spoke.

Castiel looked at his brother. At first glance his behaviour made him think he was lying once again, but the words he had spoken seemed sincere. Which made him wonder. Could Gabriel have done this for him? Was he becoming a brother? Not as the angels defined them but as the Winchester's did? That he was willing to help Dean just because he knew that Castiel couldn't lose him? Thinking about the words Gabriel had spoken Castiel made a decision. He would give his brother the benefit of the doubt. With that he decided he went onto his next question.

"So what now?" Castiel asked amicably.

Gabriel let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He was glad that Castiel had dropped the interrogation about why he was doing this. He wasn't ready to admit the truth. Not to him. With that thought he turned to Castiel with a smiled and answered his question.

"Now I'm going home."

"Home?" Castiel asked confused. He did not know that Gabriel had a home here on earth. Gabriel reading his brothers mind just rolled his eyes at him.

"Yeah Cassie, you know heaven? That placed we lived for eons?" he said in exasperation.

"I will come with you." Castiel replied standing, ready to leave.

"No, you need to stay here. With Dean. He needs you Castiel, more than he ever has before. Look after him." Gabriel replied also standing getting ready to leave.

"I always will." Castiel replied with a smile at the thought of Dean

"Yeah I know. Be good," and with that Gabriel grabbed Castiel and pulled him into a brotherly hug, he then whispered into his ear. "Oh and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That isn't saying much Gabriel." Castiel replied as Gabriel let him go.

"I know." Gabriel replied holding up the keys to Castiel's car. "Isn't it great?" And with that and a click of his fingers Gabriel disappeared, the next moment Castiel heard the engine of his car start up and drive away. Shaking his head at his brother's antics Castiel returned to his charge. His Dean.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello again. Here is number three for today. Hope you enjoy and all that.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean woke a few hours later. It was still night outside he knew but he needed to know. Reaching out with his hand, he hoped that it had all been a dream and he would find an empty bed next to him. He didn't. His hand instead connected with abdominal muscles encased in a button down shirt. Opening his eyes and turning his head he found himself looking at Cas, wearing just his pants and shirt, half sitting half lying on the other side of the bed, watching him.

Dean turned back to look at the ceiling before he asked in a whisper. "So it wasn't a dream them?"

"No." came Castiel's gentle reply, though he made no move towards or away from Dean. He left it up to the man what would happen now. The man who still had his hand on his chest, though Castiel wasn't sure if Dean was aware of this or not.

Dean closed his eyes as his breathing spend up once more. It had all happened it was all true. It was time he manned up and admitted his feeling for the angel-man beside him. Time to grow a pair Dean Winchester. At that he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He then pulled himself up so he was leaning on his elbow facing his angel.

Taking one more deep breath for courage he starred into the blues eyes he had been dreaming about and spoke.

"I love you Cas."

Castiel smiled at the words as Dean said them. He may have known they were true but he liked hearing them from Deans own lips.

"I love you too Dean."

With that Dean slowly moved his hand which was shaking, through whether from fear or excitement he had no clue, probably a combination of the two, up to his angel's cheek so he could stoke his face.

Cas' skin was soft to the touch and it fascinated Dean, stroking as much of it as he could. Because he could now. He could touch his angel. With that thought his eyes returned to Cas' as he slowly moved forwards and with a slight hesitation at what he was about to do, he gently pressed his lips against his angels.

As soon as Dean's lips met his Castiel responded, making sure that he kissed Dean back with equal pressure and feeling, not wanting to scare the man away with too much, nor wanting him to feel that Castiel didn't truly want him. So the kiss remained sweet and gentle, chaste and light. But underneath all of that it was filled with meaning. For Dean it was his way of accepting his feelings and that maybe there was the slightest chance that Cas could feel the same. For Castiel it was all about making Dean feel safe, comfortable and showing him that he would always be there for him.

When Dean finally pulled away rather that moving away from Cas he rested his head on his chest and snuggled up tighter, glad when Cas wrapped his arms around him. He then closed his eyes once more and went back to sleep, relaxing in the peace and safety he felt in his angels arms.

* * *

Dean woke again a few hours later, enjoying the feel of being in his angels arms, not wanting to leave. But he smelt breakfast been cooked somewhere in the bunker and that meant that Sam was up. Sam. with the thought of his brother Dean shot into a sitting position. What was he going to tell Sam? What could he tell him? He had barely been able to say the words to Cas. How was he to tell his brother that he was in love with an angel in a male vessel? What would Sam think of him? Would he hate him? Would he ever speak to him again? Would he-

Dean was pulled out his thoughts by Cas' voice speaking his name.

"Dean." Castiel said worried about his reaction when he had woken. "Are you all right?" he continued when he had got the man's attention.

"Yeah… um Cas… um… would you mind… I mean I'll understand if you don't but…um well…could we not tell Sam?" Dean finally got out turning to look into Cas' blue eyes hoping that he would understand without him having to explain why he felt this way.

Castiel looked at Dean and saw the worry and confusion in his eyes. He knew it had taken Dean a lot to admit his feelings to him, Dean was not the sort to go round wearing his heart on his sleeve. And he knew that Dean would want to tell Sam in his own time and his own way. He understood that he was worried about how Sam would respond, though Castiel did not think that that would be an issue. But he knew Dean and he knew that deep down Dean had still not come to terms with what was now between them, and as such he did not believe that Sam would be able to either. And so, though Castiel would love for everyone to know that Dean was his, he instead smiled at his human as he replied.

"Of course Dean. Whatever you wish."

At that Dean let out a sigh of relief and fell back onto the bed and into his waiting angel's arms.

"Thanks Cas." He replied with a smile up at him.

"You are welcome." Castiel replied before his smile turned flirty and a twinkle of mischief appeared in his eye. "But of course I believe I deserve some sort of compensation." He continued.

"Hu?" Dean asked confused.

"I think a kiss would do." Castiel said, hoping that he was doing this right. He had watched Dean flirt with many women in the past.

At that sentence Deans eyes widened in comprehension. He never expected his angel to flirt with him. With that a knowing grin appearing on his face he spoke.

"Oh I think that could be arranged." He said as he put his hands on Cas' face and brought his lips down on top of his.

Castiel kept the kiss gentle and loving. Not wanting to go too far too fast, but he was extremely grateful that when he ran his tongue run along the seam of Deans lips he instantly opened his mouth allowing his tongue access.

Dean was amazed at what was happening. This wasn't like the other kisses they had shared. This wasn't a brush of the lips, this was a proper kiss. He was in shock, he felt like he was the inexperienced one of the two of them. It was like no other kiss he had ever experienced. Kissing a man was different to kissing a woman, Cas' lips where firmer, more in charge, and Dean was the one following him. But despite the differences he felt that warm feeling deep inside grow the more Cas explored his mouth. So Dean decided to hell with it. He was going to give himself up to that feeling and let it lead him where it would. With that Dean joined his tongue with Cas' returning the gentle and soft caresses.

Dean finally pulled away out of breath and just stared at Cas until he felt he could speak.

"Did you learn that from the pizza man?" he asked smirking up at Cas, trying to make a joke so Cas won't know the overwhelming feelings that kiss had brought up in him.

Castiel tilted his head as he smiled back at Dean. He knew exactly what he was doing but he decided he would let him have it, for now.

"No, I learnt that from watching you."

"You know that sounds seriously creepy right?" Dean replied shaking his head at him. He couldn't believe Cas had just said that.

"Does it?" Castiel asked with a smirk.

"Yeah. Come on let's get up. I want breakfast." Dean said sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

"Very well." Castiel replied sitting up beside him. Dean saw him out of the corner of his eye and he didn't think, just acted. He turned grabbed Cas' face threading his hands through his hair and kissing him quickly and forcefully.

"I'm gonna have a shower." He said as he pulled away from the startled angel and hoped out of bed with the biggest grin on his face.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi people. I would like to thank Little Cinch for the great reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have favoured and followed this story since my last update. **

**Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. This is the bit of the story that I didn't really have a well thought-out plan for so I wanted to take some time to think about what was going to happen. Anyway here we are now so I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

It was morning by the time Gabriel reached the playground in which the door to heaven was situated. For a minute he just sat there thinking. He would have to be careful with what he was about to do. After all he couldn't just sneak in any more. He was for better or for worse the last remaining archangel. Taking a deep breath he got out of Castiel's car, locking the door behind him. You never know he might well need it again soon.

With that he walked over to the human who was sitting on the bench. The human that was in truth the angelic gate keeper.

"Hello Hadraniel." He said with a friendly smile hoping he wasn't about to get stabbed.

"Gabriel." Hadraniel breathed in shock.

"The one and only." He replied with a smile spreading his hands out as if to say here I am.

"You wish admittance to heaven." Hadraniel said evenly getting over the shock of seeing him.

"Yeah I do. But don't worry I'm not about to ask you for it. Any chance you can call Hannah down for me?" Gabriel asked, though as an archangel it was his right to demand. But he wanted to set the right tone for this meeting if he could. And he certainly didn't want to get into any fights.

"I will see if she is available." Hadraniel replied, though they both knew that Hannah would drop whatever she was doing when told that Gabriel was at the gates.

"You do that. I'm happy to wait." Gabriel replied sitting down next to his vessel as he departed.

It was barely a second before the vessel was once again taken over.

"Hello Hannah." He said not looking at the angel beside him. He knew it was her.

"Gabriel. You're alive." Hannah said with slight awe in her voice.

"That I am." Was Gabriel's response. He didn't elaborate on the how and Hannah didn't ask.

"Do you wish to take your place as our leader? If you do I will not stand against you." She instead said in an even voice.

At the words Gabriel shuddered. Lead the angels? No thank you.

"Yeah well you don't have to worry about that. I'm not here to lead anyone." He replied smiling at her before he continued. "Plus I hear you're doing an awesome job."

"Then why are you here?" Hannah asked curiously.

"I want to re-open heaven." He said plainly.

"Can it be done?" Hannah asked with hope in her voice.

"Yes."

"How?" She asked.

"Castiel's grace was not used up in the spell. It just contains it. Remove the grace and the spell will disperse and heaven will once again be open for business." Gabriel replied staring out at the park in front of them.

"What do you need in heaven?" Hannah asked. If he could re-open heaven then she would help him.

"The location of the spell." Gabriel said after taking a deep breath. This was the crux of his plan. His reason for being here.

"You wish to talk to Metatron." Hannah replied in understanding.

"Yes."

"He will not tell you Gabriel." Hannah said. They had tried to get information from Metatron many times but he wouldn't talk.

"You forget who I am Hannah. He will tell me." Gabriel replied with a slight edge to his voice. An edge that reminded the angel next to him he was an archangel. More powerful than them all.

"Very well. I will take you to his cell myself." Hannah responded dropping her head at his tone.

"Thank you." Gabriel replied. He didn't want to scare her or force her with his power. That just wasn't him. But he needed to talk to Metatron.

* * *

Sam was in the kitchen, just finishing of the bacon and eggs when Dean came in followed by Cas. Well that explains where he was he thought. He had gone to the room Cas used when he was here this morning in the hopes to talking to him only to find he wasn't there. A small part of Sam had thought that maybe he had left again, but no, it seemed he just spend the night in Deans room. Probably watching him sleep. Cos Dean loved it when he did that. At that Sam chuckled to himself, betting that when Dean had woken to find Cas watching him, he had gone mental.

"Morning Sam." Dean said brightly grabbing one of the plates of food from the side and sitting down at the table. Cas followed him.

"Morning Dean. Cas." Sam replied joining him and Cas at the table. Following that there was silence as Dean ate with gusto and Sam watched him out the corner of his eye. He was happy again, but there was something else. Something new that he couldn't put his finger on. Something had changed about Dean since yesterday. Sam hoped it was that he had talked to Cas about whatever was going on with him. He hoped it was all sorted now. Though looking over at the angel next to his brother he wasn't so sure that was true. It seemed Cas was watching Deans every move. As if he was expecting him to do something crazy at any minute. Sam didn't like that look. Or what it implied.

Once Dean had finished eating he spoke. "Why don't I do the dishes and you can go do, well whatever it is you want to do?" He said to his brother with a smile. He wasn't sure he could cope with the tension in the air in here anymore. He really felt that he needed to get Sam away from him and Cas, because if he didn't he might realise what was going on with them. And Dean wasn't ready for that. Not now, not yet.

"Okay. Well I'm going to hit the books and keep looking for a cure, Cas why don't you come with me?" Sam asked smiling at the angel. Dean opened his mouth to protest but could think of no reason why Cas shouldn't go with Sam expect that he didn't want him to.

"Of course Sam." Castiel replied standing and looking over at Dean to reassure him that everything was fine.

Sam watched Dean and his angel have one of their 'rather uncomfortable if you're in the room' staring contests before he had had enough and coughed to gain there attention. Cas' caught he and the angel moved through to the library.

"So did you talk to Dean?" Sam asked as soon as they were out of his brothers hearing.

"I did." Castiel replied as they walked into the library, not looking Sam in the eye.

"And?" Sam asked and when the angel didn't say anything in response he expanded his question. "Did you find out what was going on?"

"Yes. Gabriel was helping Dean in his dreams to supress the effects of the mark while he was in the bunker." Castiel answered looking up at the younger Winchester.

"Gabriel? But he's dead." Sam said shocked and confused.

"Apparently not." Castiel replied with a small smile on his lips.

"Okay fine. So is he still around, still going to help?" Sam asked, looking round the room as if Gabriel was just going to suddenly appear.

"No. he has gone to try and find a cure as I can now take over in helping Dean in his dreams." Castiel replied. It wasn't a lie and it would give Sam a reason for him spending every night in Dean's room. There was no way he would be leaving his hunter to sleep alone. Never again would he let Dean sleep alone.

"He knows a cure." Sam asked latching onto this one point.

"Yes but it is not easy to come by. I believe we should continue looking ourselves also." Castiel replied. He wanted to be able to find a back-up solution in case Gabriel could not get the gates of heaven open.

"Oh, okay." Sam replied. Then the second part of Cas' previous statement registered in his mind. "So you're staying?" He clarified.

"Yes Sam. I will be here until we find a cure to the mark." (And after.) Castiel added in his head, making his way to the books on the table. If he was here he might as well make himself useful.

"Thanks man. I know Dean will like having you round." Sam said as he clapped the angel on the back before making his way to his seat at the table.

And under his breath, to quiet for Sam to hear Castiel replied with an "I hope so."


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello all. I would like to thank Little Cinch and rainystv for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank all those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update. You are all awesome to me.**

**So here we are, the next chapter. As always the bits in italics are Dean's dreams.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was standing in his room with Cas, just staring at him. _

_"I love you Cas." He whispered to his angel._

_"I love you too Dean." Cas replied smiling at him with love and gentleness clear in his eyes. But then they started to change. Gone was the love to be replaced by possessiveness and gone was the gentleness to be replaced with a predatory gleam._

_"Cas?" He asked becoming suddenly fearful of the angel in front of him._

_Cas pushed Dean against the wall holding him by the scruff of the neck._

_"I said I loved you Dean. Now I am taking what is mine." Cas growled at him._

_"No." Dean said getting frantic, trying to push Cas away. No not like this, he wasn't ready. He didn't want this, not now._

_"If you do not let me I will leave. I will leave your pathetic little soul to the mark and let it have you. Is that what you want Dean?" Cas demanded at him in his angel voice making Dean freeze. _

_No the mark couldn't take him back. He couldn't go back. Cas was the only thing stopping it from returning. He couldn't leave him. Finally he answered in a whisper "No."_

_"good." And with that Cas slammed his lips onto Deans however much the man struggled against him._

Castiel was lying next to Dean in his bed thinking about the man next to him when he noticed that he started to become fretful in his dreams. With a frown Castiel reached across and touched his fingers to his forehead so he could access the sleeping man's mind.

_Castiel appeared in a dream where he saw himself tell Dean he would leave him if he didn't let him do as he wished. He frowned at the distasteful image this brought to his mind wondering why Dean would ever think such a thing. But that would be for them to discuss later. First he needed to intervene._

_Going over to dream him he spoke clearly to Dean. _

_"He is not really me Dean. You can remove him from your mind. I would never do this to you." He said evenly allowing his love for the man show in his voice._

_With that the Cas holding Dean disappeared and Dean slid down the wall._

_"Are you okay?" Castiel asked as he crouched down next to the man._

_"Just peachy." Dean replied running a hand through his hair. What the hell was that all about?_

_"What was that Dean?" Castiel asked confused why Dean would dream this._

_"I don't know. Some crazy shit Gabriel cooked up?" Dean replied with a sigh as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall behind him._

_"Gabriel is no longer in the bunker Dean." Castiel said quietly. He had forgotten that he hadn't told Dean that part._

_"Oh." Was all Dean could say in reply. If Gabriel wasn't here then that meant that it was his own crazy shit that the dream had brought up. But why? He knew Cas would never do that to him. He would never force himself on him so why the hell did his mind conjure that up?_

_"Is that what you truly think I would do?" Castiel asked quietly. He didn't really want to but he felt the situation needed to be addressed._

_"What? No!" Dean replied quickly. He really, really didn't._

_"Then why did you dream it?" Castiel asked, not accusingly but more curiously._

_"I- I don't know Cas." Dean replied running his hand down his face. He really had no idea._

_"I would never do anything against your will Dean." Castiel said with such certainty it made Dean look up at him and met his stare with one of his own._

_"I know." He said in a tone equal to Cas'. _

_"Nor will I ever leave you." Castiel continued. He needed to make Dean understand this, though he did not believe that one conversation in one dream would be enough, but if necessary he would take Deans lifetime to convince him._

_"How do you know?" Dean asked quietly, unsure if he should even voice these thoughts, but he needed to talk about it. He was terrified that Cas would work out what a broken human he was and leave him. He could do so much better._

_"Because I do not believe it would be possible for me to do so Dean. I love you. And only you." Castiel replied with a smile for his hunter._

_"Why Cas? Why me? I'm nothing." Dean asked still completely confused by how Cas could love him._

_"Well we will have to agree to disagree on that one. To me you are everything." Castiel said smiling more completely at his man._

_"I love you Cas." Dean whispered returning the smile the best he could._

_"I love you too Dean." And with that Castiel sat down next to Dean on the floor and entwined their fingers together. _

They spent the rest of the night like that. In Dean's dream, just sitting in silence, together.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello again. Well here is the next one. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Gabriel walked down the corridor of heaven's jail having left Hannah by the door on guard to make sure that no one else came down here while he was there. He looked at the white walls, it seemed no matter how pure god made you every species needed somewhere to store their bad apples. Speaking of which, he had reached Metatron's cell.

"Well hello Gabriel. It's been a while." Metatron said with a knowing smile on his face.

"Metatron. Eons at least." Gabriel replied amicability leaning against the bars.

"Well you are looking well." Metatron said after taking a good look at the archangel.

"Yeah. You? Not so much." Gabriel replied with a smirk.

"Get me out of this cell and I would look much better." Was Metatron's response, just on the right side of a demand. He was stupid enough to make demands of an archangel, but this one was always the weakest. All he had to do was find the right motivation to get him back on to his side.

"You and I both know that's never gonna happen Metatron." Gabriel replied seriously.

"Shame. We used to be such good friends you and I." Metatron said in a mournful voice as if he was wishing back the days gone by.

"That's one word for it. Not sure it's the one I would use but it's definitely a word." Was Gabriel's flippant reply. He was not going to let Metatron use him. Not again.

"Oh Gabriel, how you wound me. We were besties for a long time." Metatron replied, hoping to play on his brother's weakness of needing to find someone who could remind him of home while he stayed away.

"Until you involved me in this mad scheme of yours." Gabriel said, anger starting to colour the edge of his voice as he crossed his arms.

"But the plan worked Gabriel. Castiel raised an army against me, just as I wished him too. And then he lost it all for the eldest Winchester. He always was his Achilles heel." Metatron replied with a shrug, completely unrepentant for all he had done.

"Yeah well you lost anyway. And I must say I'm glad. You really did shit at running heaven, you know that?" Gabriel asked conversationally. He was not here to argue with this angel. He was here to get answers. And he would, one way or another. He just hoped it didn't come to the 'another'.

"What you think you could do any better?" Metatron challenged, hoping to get Gabriel's back up. If he wasn't thinking clearly he might just make a mistake that he could take advantage of.

"No. I prefer to play a pagan god rather than dad. At least there's more than one of them." Gabriel replied with a shrug. He was well aware that he was not cut out for leading anything, let alone heaven.

"Ah yes. Loki. Has he been coming out to play while I've been up here starved of intellectual company?" Metatron asked with a sneer. How lowly, an archangel playing the part of a pagan god. They were so much more.

"No actually, I've been playing cupid." Gabriel replied joyfully.

"Oh please, what possible reason could you have for doing that?" Metatron asked sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Cleaning up your mess." Gabriel's tone flipped from joyful mystery to deadly serious in a spilt second and even Metatron could hear the power that resonated behind it. But he would not be scared of Gabriel. No sir-ery, not him.

"Oh, in what way?" He asked making sure his voice was casual in tone.

"You killed Dean Winchester. And in doing so unleashed the full force of the mark of Cain on the world." Gabriel's voice reverberated around the cell making Metatron to gulp as Gabriel seemed to grow in front of him. But just as soon as it came it had gone and Gabriel once again the same old Gabriel that Metatron knew. "Not the best of plans in my mind." He finished with.

"So have little Cassie and Dean finally realised their love for each other? Now that is a story I would like to hear I believe." Metatron asked smirking at the archangel. Gabriel wasn't going to do anything to him. It wasn't his style, so Metatron might as well enjoy himself at the other angel's expense.

"And I'll tell it to you Metatron, for a price." Gabriel replied with a smirk of his own.

"What price?" Metatron asked in indifference. He wouldn't give Gabriel anything.

"Where's the spell located?" Gabriel asked neutrally.

"I think that's worth a little more than the story of Castiel and Dean don't you?" Metatron asked in a cajoling voice, hoping to get Gabriel to agree to his terms as he would Castiel.

"How much?" Gabriel asked as if they were discussing the weather. Not that he had any intention of giving Metatron anything, but it was always useful to know what it was that your enemy wanted.

"Get me out of here and I'll tell you." Metatron said sweetly.

"I could do that," Gabriel said in a tone that suggested he was considering it before turning to Metatron and looking at him with stone cold eyes and continuing evenly. "Or I could torture you a thousand ways to Sunday instead. At present I'm more inclined to go with the second option."

"Well, well, the times have changed. Gabriel threating torture, and here I was thinking that you disliked such crass methods of getting what you wanted." Metatron replied snarkily at the archangel in front of him. There was no finesse with torture.

"I never said anything about the torture being physical Metatron. You forget that I have spent the last millennia being a pagan god. I have learnt many ways to get people to do as I wish without getting my hands dirty at all." Gabriel replied with a cruel, cold smile on his lips. He was the trickster and he dealt people there just deserts. He couldn't think of anyone who deserved them more than the angel in front of him.

"I will tell you nothing." Metatron shouted out defiantly sitting up straight and putting a 'defiant to the last man' hero expression on his face.

"Very well. Don't say I didn't warn you." and with that Gabriel raised his hand and snapped his fingers, the last thing Metatron saw was the smirk and steely glint of the archangels eyes before darkness descended upon him.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello all. I would like to thank** **Little Cinch for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have favoured and followed since my last update.**

**So here is the next chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean blinked his eyes. He was lying on his bed in his room in the bunker. Reaching out for Cas he found the other side of the bed empty. Looking round he saw his angel standing with his back to him putting on his coat._

_"Cas where you going?" he asked confusedly._

_"I'm leaving Dean." Cas replied turning to him with a look of distain on his face._

_"Why?" Dean asked desperately. Cas couldn't leave, he couldn't, he needed him._

_"Because you cannot give me what I want." Cas replied his expression never changing._

_"What do you want Cas? I'll give you anything." Dean replied sitting up on the bed and trying to make a move to grab the angel but he just moved out of the way._

_"Really? I want a real relationship Dean not this farce of one. I want you to tell Sam. And I want you beneath me as I fuck you. Can you give me that hmm?" Cas sneered at him then turned to walk out the door._

_"What Cas? I Cas-" Dean shouted._

And With that shout Dean woke to find himself in the arms of his angel. His breathing heavy and erratic.

"Dean what were you dreaming?" Castiel asked him gently.

"I … it was nothing Cas. Forget it." Dean replied. He couldn't tell Cas fears. He had finally figured out what his dreams where telling him and the thoughts scared him to death. With that Dean turned away from Cas, pulling himself out of his arms, presenting his back to the angel.

Castiel looked at Deans back with a frown. He knew the man would not tell him what was on his mind. Not here, not now at any rate. With that thought he put two fingers to Dean's forehead before he could say anything in protest.

_Dean was back in the dream version of his room but this time Cas wasn't walking out the door but sitting on the bed next to him._

_"What happened here Dean?" Castiel asked gently not taking his eyes off of the man next to him._

_"You left." Dean replied not looking at Cas but at the door dream Cas had walked through._

_"Did I give a reason why?" Castiel asked curiously._

_"You said…" Dean had to stop and take a deep breath at that point. It was easier talking in dreams, but it was still hard. "You said you wanted a proper relationship." He finally managed to get out looking down at the floor._

_"How would you define a proper relationship Dean?" Castiel asked tilting his head down so he could catch his hunters eyes with his own. _

_"Telling everyone, showing our feelings in public. Sex." Dean replied forcing himself to not look away from Cas._

_"Ah," Castiel said sitting back up straight as he thought over his answer. "Well yes I would like all of those things but Dean you forget I am an angel. We define a relationship as something different." He finally said._

_This statement caused Dean to turn and look at him. "How so?" he asked hopefully._

_"You have shared your soul with me Dean. There is no greater gift you could give me. I will wait until you are ready for the rest." Castiel replied laying his hand gently on Dean's face and smiling at him. _

_"What if I'm never ready?" Dean whispered afraid that Cas would leave just because he had voiced his fears._

_"Then I will wait for an eternity." Castiel replied in such a sincere voice Dean knew he spoke the truth. Then a small smile appeared on the angels face as he continued. "But I do not believe you will have me wait that long."_

_"Why?" Dean asked returning the smile._

_"Because I have held your soul in my hands. I have seen the core of you and I know you have the strength to fight your fears and the will to win." Castiel replied, putting his hand over Dean's heart._

_"How can you be so sure?" Dean asked in awe at Cas' belief in him._

_"Because you are Dean Winchester. The man I love." Castiel replied simply love radiating from his eyes as he looked into Deans._

_"God I love you Cas." And with that Dean moved so he was kissing his angel passionately. He climbed into Cas' lap and gently pushed the angel back on the bed. He may not be ready to do this in the real world, but this was a dream. And if Gabriel had taught him anything over the recent weeks it was that dreams sometimes will show you a truth that you can't face in the light of day._

_Pulling away from Cas he looked at his beautiful angel. "I really, really love you Cas."_

_"I know Dean. And I love you." Castiel replied stroking Dean's face making Dean turn and kiss the palm of his hand before turning back to Cas and speaking. _

_"I want to try It." He said looking Cas right in the eye._

_"Try what?" Castiel asked confused about what it was Dean was talking about._

_"Sex. With you and me. Here in my dream." Dean replied after taking a deep breath. He had to start facing his fears and what better way to do that than to face them in his dreams with the angel he loved?_

_"As you wish Dean. I would like that also." Castiel said pulling Dean back down into a heated kiss._

_And with that Dean found his dream turning rather X rated as the angel showed him the pleasure they could have together._

* * *

Sam walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Dean and Cas already there. He stood in the shadows of the doorway for a while and just watched them. Something had changed in their relationship with each other, some shift he couldn't define. But it had happened, that was obvious in the staring they did. It was different now. It made him less uncomfortable, more… emotionally charged? He had found himself recently just smiling when they stared at each other when before he would just be confused. He had no idea what was going on but whatever it was it was definitely for the good. He just hoped it lasted.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello all. Sorry the long time between updates, life got in the way. I would like to thank rainystv, and Little Cinch for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.**

**So here we go next chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. **

* * *

Gabriel watched as Metatron blinked his eyes open. He was pale and shaking, though sweat poured off his vessels body and Gabriel knew, that if that body hadn't been housing an angel, it would be dead right now.

"Have a nice trip?" He asked casually when it seemed Metatron was back with him.

"What did you do?" Metatron asked, he didn't remember much, but he could feel the heart rate of his vessel was elevated and the body was struggling to breathe. Why did he need to breathe?

"Just what you did to the rest of the angels." Gabriel replied with a shrug.

"No, you did something else. I can't breathe." Metatron said in a panicked voice which Gabriel found rather amusing.

"That would be you having a panic attack." He chuckled to the former scribe of god.

"No, I'm an angel I don't panic." Metatron replied trying to catch his vessels breath.

"Really? Cos you could have fooled me. But that's beside the point its decision time." Gabriel said standing up straight and away from the bars.

"What decision?" Metatron asked calming slightly.

"Tell me where the spell is and I'll leave you alone. Don't and we'll go another round. Which is it to be?" Gabriel asked smirking at Metatron but the steely glint never left his eyes.

"You don't scare me Gabriel." Metatron replied with bravo.

"Oh I really should." Gabriel murmured quietly, and yet with immense power behind his voice.

With that he slowly raised his hand watching the way that Metatron watched his fingers as he brought them together in a snap. As soon as the sound echoed around the walls of the jail Metatron fell to the floor screaming in pain, as he felt in slow motion his wings burning away as he fell through the sky yet again. But this time it wasn't a surprise and over soon, this was agony and Metatron knew it was only going to get worse.

* * *

Hannah was by the door of the jail when she heard Metatron cry out. She waited for a moment to see if the he stopped but he didn't and so, in her position as leader of heaven, she made her way down to his jail cell.

Upon arriving she saw Gabriel leaning against the bars of Metatron's cell watching him scream and writhe on the floor. Running up to the cell Hannah's eyes widened.

"Gabriel what are you doing? You can't torture him." She said strictly making Gabriel turn to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Says who?" He asked conversationally.

"I do." Hannah replied pulling herself up to her full height.

"Sorry Hannah but I don't take orders from you." Gabriel said with just a small amount of power in his voice. He did not need this right now. He had a job to do.

"I will have you locked up." Hannah responded with a bravery she didn't truly feel when confronting an archangel.

"Really? Know how to reopen the cage do you? Cos none of these cells will hold me and when I go, I'll take him with me. The choice is yours." Gabriel replied with exasperation in his voice. Did she really think she had the power to hold him?

Hannah studied the archangel before her. He reminded her in some ways of Castiel. They both had experienced life on earth and she knew he was right, she didn't have the power to contain him.

"Very well." She finally conceded bowing her head and turning to gracefully walk away. And in the back ground she heard a snap of fingers and Gabriel's voice.

"Have you changed your mind?" He asked, she waited with batted breath for Metatron to reply.

"No." she heard and closing her ears against the sound of clicking fingers and screaming angels she made her way out of the jail.

It took a while, longer than Gabriel truly thought it would, but eventually Metatron broke.

"Okay, okay I'll tell you." He screamed holding his hands up in submission to the archangel in front of him.

"I'm listening." Gabriel replied, not moving his hand from its position, getting ready to snap his fingers once again if he didn't like Metatron's answer.

"The spell is in a library." Metatron said through heavy breaths.

"Which one, there's quite a few in the world." Gabriel replied sarcastically.

"I'll tell you." and with that Metatron did just that and every angel in heaven let out a sigh of relief when Gabriel left. They didn't understand him and they didn't want him around.

Which was all for the good as Gabriel most certainly didn't want to return to heaven any time soon. He had made his choice long ago, and it was a choice he was sticking too. But right now he had to get back to earth and find the spell and Castiel's grace.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello all. I would like to thank rainystv and Little Cinch for the great reviews. I would also like to thank those who have favoured and followed since my last update. **

**Now we are slowly coming to the end of this story, I hope to get it finished today but we'll see. I hoped you all like it so far and will like the ending.**

**As usual the bits in italics are Dean's dreams. So here's the next chapter enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was lying naked in the arms of his angel. He was happy and content, he felt safe and loved. The peace Cas brought him cancelling any effect the mark might have on him. He felt good and so he just lay there snuggled up to Cas with his head resting on his chest and a smile on his lips.  
_

_That was until the door to his room burst open. There framed in the doorway was Sam.  
_

_"I should have known." Sam sneered at him.  
_

_"What you talking about?" Dean asked having sat up at his brothers dramatic entrance.  
_

_"Well look at the two of you." Sam replied narrowing his eyes.  
_

_Dean turned to see what Sam was on about and realised he wasn't the only one naked. Cas was lying right where he had been before Sam entered, his chiselled chest on display.  
_

_"Look Sam I know I should have told you -" Dean started only to have Sam cut him off.  
_

_"I've been busting my ass to save you and this is what you do with it? Become a fucking faggot with him? You disgust me. I would be better off not finding a cure. You are not my brother, you are a disgusting, revolting pervert and I can't wait to be able to kill you when you become a demon again." And with that Sam stormed out the room._

_"This is just a dream, this is just a dream." Dean repeated to himself, barely able to breathe. But it that was true why wasn't he waking up? This couldn't really be happening, this couldn't be true._

_"Dean, you need to calm down. This __**is**__ just a dream." Castiel said from behind him making him turn on the angel._

_"Then why haven't I woken up?" He snapped at him._

_"Because I have come to the realisation that you find it easier to speak in your dreams. Would you like to wake Dean?" Castiel asked with a tilt of his head for the man he loved._

_"I … I don't know." Dean replied turning back to look at the doorway that his dream version of his brother had been standing._

_"That is not how Sam will react when you tell him Dean." Castiel said moving so he could put his arms around the shaken man._

_"How do you know that Cas?" Dean asked in a whisper. He couldn't lose Sam, but he didn't think he could lose Cas either. Not now that he had finally admitted his feelings for the angel and somehow, miraculously it seemed, Cas felt the same way about him._

_"I am an angel Dean. I can sense your brother's feelings and he does not feel that way about people being gay." Castiel replied resting his chin on Dean's shoulder._

_Dean leaned back into Cas and thought about his words. Sam had never shown any real feelings one way of the other about people's sexuality. Would Sam really accept him like this? Would he just accept who he loved? He had made a conscious decision to give Cas all he could the last time they had spoken in his dreams, and that was working. They had become closer since then. Even more intimate, though not all the way. But it was good. If felt good, right to be with Cas. And he was right his brother shouldn't have a problem with it. Hadn't he always said he wanted Dean to be happy? With these thoughts swimming in his head Dean lay back down on Cas' chest and closed his eyes. He would think about it in the morning, right now he just wanted to enjoy his dream with his angel._

Dean woke the next morning and he was lying in Cas' arms, though unlike the dream they were both wearing clothes. For a moment he felt loss at not having the feel of skin against skin but he would get there, eventually. Today he had something else on his mind.

"Hey Cas. Umm look. I want to talk to Sam today." He said sitting up and the bed and running a hand through his hair.

"Of course Dean." Castiel replied smiling at him. He was glad that Dean wanted to tell Sam. he didn't like lying to Deans brother about their relationship.

"I mean alone?" Dean tried to make it a statement but it came out more of a question. He was going to tell Sam about him and Cas, but he felt this was something he needed to do on his own. For him. To show himself that he could do it.

"I understand. I will stay here while talk to him." Castiel replied, knowing exactly what was going through Dean's head. He would be here for him when he was done. He would help him get through the feelings that the conversation would no doubt bring to the surface.

"Thanks man." Dean said turning to smile at him.

"You are welcome Dean." Castiel smiled back. Dean the leaned down to his angel and kissed him gently. He could never get enough of Cas' kisses.


	25. Chapter 25

**Here we go. Next chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Gabriel came down from heaven and made straight for Castiel's car. He had a bit of a journey to get to the library Metatron had hidden the spell in but get there he would, it wasn't like he would have to stop for anything but gas. He should be there the next day.

* * *

Sam woke to the smell of bacon cooking, groaning in pleasure at the thought of Dean cooking him breakfast he rolled out of bed and made his way to the kitchen still wearing his sleep clothes.

"Morning Sammy." Dean said handing him a coffee and a plate of food.

"Morning" Sam replied, through looking at his brother he noticed something different. He seemed nervous about something, and that worried Sam. Was the mark acting up again? He had thought that with Cas taking over from Gabriel in Deans dreams that his brother would be fine. But maybe it was getting worse? Maybe Cas couldn't help anymore? What would he do then?

"Um, Sam, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." Dean said and as Sam watched he saw that his brother wasn't really eating the food he had cooked. He was more just playing with it. That sent alarm bells ringing even more in his head. His brother always ate. Especially bacon.

"What's wrong Dean? Where's Cas?" Sam asked in a worried voice, ignoring his own breakfast in favour of watching his brother.

"Cas is in my room." Dean replied, not addressing Sam's first question.

"Dean what's going on?" Sam asked starting to get frantic. Why was Cas in Deans room? Why wasn't he here with him keeping an eye on his brother?

"Calm down everything is fine, it's just…I have something I want… I want to tell you." Dean finally got out trying to calm his racing heart. He could do this, he could tell his brother that he loved an angel. That he and Cas were together. He could do this.

"Okay, what?" Sam asked in a soothing voice.

"It's about Cas and me." Dean replied still trying to build the courage to say the words out loud.

"What about you and Cas?" Sam asked confused now, what was going on?

"We…well we're…we kinda…." Dean tried to say. He couldn't find the right words. He couldn't get it out. Not with Sam looking at him as intently as he was, as if he had grown another head or something.

"Just spit it out Dean." Sam snapped at him. He needed to know what was wrong so he could help fix it. He couldn't lose his brother.

"We're together." Dean blurted out making Sam just look at him and blink. Did he just say-?

"When you say together do you mean…as in **together**?" Sam asked just to clarify, cos this was Dean – ladies' man – Winchester here talking about being in a relationship with a male angel. Well angel in a male vessel, but still.

"Yes." Dean replied through gritted teeth.

"So Cas is your boyfriend?" Sam asked he really needed to make sure he was on the same page as Dean.

"Yes." Dean mumbled not looking at his brother but going slightly red when Sam said the words.

"Since when?" Sam asked. Just how long had this been going on under his nose, and how the hell could he have missed it?

"Since he showed up." Dean replied with a shrug. Waiting for Sam to stop asking questions and react.

"And are you two serious about each other?" Sam asked. He really needed to know the extent of their relationship. He didn't think just jumping into bed with each other would be good for either of them, but if it was some more, well then, that was different.

"I love him Sam and he loves me." Dean replied completely sincerely looking up into Sam's eye.

Sam looking at him knew he spoke the truth. "Okay." Was all he replied before he turned back to eating his now cooling food.

"Okay? That's it?" Dean asked incredulously after just sitting there watching Sam eat for about 30 seconds.

"What do you want me to say Dean? You're happy he's happy. I mean I knew something had happened I just didn't know what. Now I do, so yeah okay." Sam replied with a shrug. What had Dean expected?

"Okay." Dean said, still not really sure he could believe that Sam had taken it so well.

"Don't look so surprised and eat." Sam ordered, pointing to Dean's plate with his fork.

"Okay." Dean said again picking up his cutlery and starting to eat his breakfast, still in shock at Sam response to the situation. He really hadn't thought his brother would take it **that **well.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Gabriel drove up to the library. Getting out the car he made his way inside. Looking round he wondered where in the building the spell was positioned exactly, but before he could bemoan himself for not get an exact location he felt it. It was a tingle of grace, of Castiel's grace to be exact. Following the feeling he found himself heading into the bowels of the building, making his way through the basement achieves, until there. Right at the back and tucked away on a shelf which looked as if no one had touched it in centuries was a small wooden box.

He gently lifted it from the shelf and set it on the floor. Pulling a small glass bottle from his pocket he gently opened the lid. If he had been anything other than an angel the sight that greeted his eyes would have burnt them right out. For inside the box, swirling round two other packages was Castiel's grace. It seemed small yet filled the space. And yet it had no direction. No purpose. Gabriel smiled sadly as he looked at what remained of his brother, then taking the top of the bottle he held it out to the grace which instantly streamed inside. Once all the grace was contained Gabriel replaced the lid and held it up in front of his face.

"Don't worry little brother. I will get you home." He whispered to the bottle before gently placing it in his pocket. He then turned to what remained in the box. The heart of Nephilim and the bow of a cupid. With a sigh he clicked his fingers and the box and its contents burst into flame. Briefly flashing blue as the spell was consumed by the holy fire he had at his fingertips once again.

With the spell destroyed Gabriel stretched out his wings and raised his head. Time to fix what remained of his family. With that Gabriel was gone. Flying off to the bunker to find Castiel and the Winchesters.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello again. Well here we are, the next bit. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Gabriel arrived at the bunker to find that everyone was asleep. Well almost everyone he corrected as Castiel walked out of Dean's room with his angel blade in his hand.

"Hey Cassie." He said softly with a smile for his brother.

"Gabriel. I hope you're return signifies success." Castiel said in lieu of a greeting. He hoped his brother could cure Dean.

"It does." Gabriel replied holding up the small bottle that contained Castiel's grace.

Castiel barely looked at it. Instead he looked into his brother's eyes as he asked "can you remove the mark?"

At that Gabriel rolled his eyes. Of course Cassie's thoughts were for Dean rather than himself.

"Yes Castiel." he replied patiently.

"Then let's do it." Castiel replied turning to go back into Dean's room.

"Hold your horses there amigo." Gabriel said grabbing Castiel's arm and turning him to face him. "When I cure Dean it's going to hurt like hell, during and after. I think it would be best if we had all the family around for that one."

"Then I shall go wake Sam." Castiel replied trying to turn to walk to the younger Winchesters room but finding himself unable to do so as Gabriel still had hold of his arm.

"No. let them sleep. I can do it just as well in the morning. But you, your grace. That we can do right now." Gabriel said looking him in the eye. When Castiel didn't reply with an immediate affirmative to the plan Gabriel's eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. "That is if you want it back. You do want to be an angel again don't you Castiel?" He asked with a hint of steel in his voice which made Castiel swallow before he replied.

"I … I don't know Gabriel."

"Why?" Gabriel demanded. How could his brother now want to be an angel?

"I do not want to leave Dean." Castiel replied sincerely.

"Who said anything about you leaving Dean?" Gabriel asked confused now.

"All angels must return to heaven Gabriel. To stay here will cause trouble within the ranks." Castiel explained with a sigh at the thought of leaving the man he loved behind. He knew deep down that that was something he could never do. He would rather be human again than leave Dean.

"Okay first off I am not returning to heaven. Ever. Second I could tell them that you chose to be human and you could keep your grace and stay here." Gabriel tried. He didn't want his brother leaving, nor did he want him to become human. He wanted things to stay as they were, just with Castiel not slowly dying.

"They would know you lied when I don't die Gabriel." Castiel replied stating the obvious to the archangel in front of him.

"Yeah but by then I doubt they would care. They would also have to find you. And I am great at hiding people." Gabriel said in a pervasive voice and with a smirk on his lips. None of their brothers and sisters would ever find Castiel. He would make sure of that.

"And when Dean dies? What then? I would never see him again." Castiel asked. He couldn't leave Dean. He wouldn't leave Dean. Be he on earth or in heaven.

"Please, heaven is open for all. It's easy to sneak in." Gabriel replied with a roll of his eyes. I mean really what was Cassie's problem?

"I don't want to 'sneak in' Gabriel. I want to be with Dean." Castiel said with finger quotes around the words getting annoyed with Gabriel's blasé attitude.

"Well when he dies you could always choose to join him then." Gabriel suggested with a shrug. Not that he truly meant it. When that time came he would do everything he could to keep Castiel with him.

"Why do you want me to be an angel again Gabriel?" Castiel asked confused. Why was his brother so in favour of this plan? Castiel did not believe he made a very good angel.

"You're my brother Cassie. The only one out of the damn lot that I actually like. So sue me for wanting to have you around on earth with me. For wanting to spend time with you." Gabriel finally exploded throwing his hands in the air. He wanted to have some family around. Was that really such a bad thing?

Castiel watched his brother with the raise of an eyebrow. Since when had Gabriel cared about family? Since when had he wanted to have someone around? It was very strange behaviour for him, but maybe he had realised that he was lonely? Whatever the truth of the situation Castiel owed his brother for what he had done and would be doing for Dean and as such he felt he should give his brother a concession. With that he spoke.

"I will think on it Gabriel. Now I must return to Dean."

"Yeah sure go back to Dean-o." Gabriel replied adding under his breath so that Castiel wouldn't hear, "it's what you always do."

"I will see you in the morning Gabriel. Goodnight." With that Castiel walked back into Dean's room.

"Great. What the hell am I supposed to do now?" Gabriel asked the empty corridor before turning and making his way to the library where he hoped he could find a comfy seat to sit and wait out the rest of the night. He refused to think about what would happen if Castiel decided he didn't want his grace back and wanted to become human. Because Castiel was his brother, he didn't go to all this trouble to get his grace back just so he could throw it away. He wasn't letting go of him that easily.


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello again, again. Here we are. Have another chapter. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

Dean awoke to the sound of his door closing. Looking round he realised that Cas was no longer in the room and he could hear voices from the corridor. Moving quietly he made his way over to the door and pressed his ear against the wood so that he could hear Cas and Gabriel's conversation.

* * *

When Castiel made his way back into Deans room he looked towards the bed only to find the hunter not lying down asleep as he had left him but sitting on the end with his hands clasped together.

"Dean, what is wrong?" He asked gently moving to sit next to the man he loved.

"I heard you and Gabriel." Was all Dean replied as he turned at looked at the angel next to him.

"I will never leave you Dean." Castiel said with as much reassurance as he could in his voice.

"I know. But you should take you grace back." Dean said looking back down at his hands.

"But Dean-" Castiel started, trying to explain but Dean cut him off.

"No Cas. It's who you are." He said with an earnest voice looking deep into those blue eyes he loved so much.

"No. It is what I am. Not who. And maybe I don't want to be that any more. Maybe I want to be human." Castiel replied with a slightly defiant voice.

"No you don't Cas. Humanity is misery and pain-" Dean tried to explain but this time it was Cas' to cut him off.

"And love and happiness. I know this Dean." Castiel finished staring at him.

"I just, I don't want you giving up being an angel for me." Dean replied in a whisper not removing his eyes from the angels blue ones as he spoke what he was truly afraid of.

"If I chose to do it Dean it will be for us. Not just you." Castiel said bringing his hand up to stroke Deans face so that his peace surrounded the man and eased his tension.

"Can't we be an us with you as an angel too?" Dean begged to the angel next to him.

"Yes Dean we can. But it will be more difficult." Castiel replied removing his hand and looking away from Dean. Why was it everyone wanted him to stay an angel?

"This is my life Cas. Nothing is ever easy in it." Dean replied turning Cas to look at him.

"I do not know how I would hide from heaven Dean." Castiel whispered to his hunter.

"Ask Gabriel. He maybe a dick, but he knows the tricks for things like that. Plus he loves you and doesn't want to lose you. I'm sure he would be more than willing to show you how to hide." Dean suggested with a shrug. From what he had heard Gabriel would do anything he needed to do to keep Cas an angel.

"And when you die?" Castiel asked with a frown.

"At the moment I can't die." Dean replied with a chuckle which made Castiel roll his eyes at him.

"Once Gabriel has cured you, you will be able too." He said glaring at Dean for making a joke out of his current situation.

"I don't know Cas. But I'm hoping that that will be a long time in the future. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Dean replied with a genuine smile on his face and shrug.

"Why do you want me to be an angel Dean?" Castiel asked frowning once more at his insistence.

"Cos it's who you are Cas. My angel. I'm not letting you give that up for me." Dean whispered in reply and before Castiel could response Dean sealed his lips over Cas' pulling him down so that they were both lying down on the bed together in a tangle of arms and legs. He needed to show Cas just how much he needed him not to change.


	28. Chapter 28

**And another one. Hope you like. As normal the bits in italics are dreams, but not only Dean's this time.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean was sitting in some none describe diner. It looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. Looking round he noticed that he was alone. Where was Cas? It had become a bit of a habit for the angel to join him in his dreams before they went crazy, but he wasn't here._

_"That would be because I've blocked him from entering Dean-o." came Gabriel's voices from behind him. Swinging round he saw the archangel now sitting opposite him._

_"Gabriel what are you doing here? Where is here?"_

_"Really? You don't know? Sam would have recognised it. What with the whole time loop killing you thing." Gabriel replied with the raise of an eyebrow._

_"What? Killing me?" Dean asked confused by that sentence what the hell was Gabriel talking about now?_

_"Stay on topic Dean-o." Gabriel replied with a wave of his hand._

_"What topic would that be?" Dean asked sarcastically. It wasn't like he and Gabriel were in the middle of discussing anything._

_"My brother Castiel." Gabriel replied as if it was obvious._

_"You entered my dream to talk about Cas?" Dean asked with a shake of his head. What the hell?_

_"Yes. I want him to stay angelic." Gabriel explained. He had realised if he could get Dean on board then Cas was much more likely to do it._

_"He can do what he wants Gabriel." Dean replied crossing his arms. He wasn't going to persuade Cas to do anything, even if he had just had a conversation that went along the same lines as the one Gabriel wanted him to have. The archangel didn't need to know that though._

_"Hmm, you think so?" Gabriel asked innocently even if he had a calculated look in his eyes as he stared at Dean._

_"Yeah, why not?" Dean challenged. He wouldn't let Gabriel manipulate Cas into doing what he wanted him to do._

_"Well let's think for a minute if you will. Use that nothing you have in your head. What do you think will happen if Castiel becomes human and stays in your life? What happens to those you love Dean-o?" Gabriel asked glaring at the human and leaning forwards onto the table._

_His words had the desired effect on Dean and he swallowed as he remembered all the people he cared about in his life. "He wouldn't die." He denied refusing to even consider the possibility._

_"Yes he will. And I wouldn't be able to protect him all the time. But if he was an angel, then he could protect you and Sam." Gabriel replied with a shrug._

_"Gabriel. I can't make him do what you want." Dean responded, enough with the bravo, he couldn't force Cas to take his grace if he didn't want it._

_"No. but you can get him to think about it." and with that Gabriel was gone and in his place sat Castiel._

_"I presume my brother was here." Castiel said reaching across the table and taking Deans hands._

_"Yeah." Dean replied squeezing Cas' hand in his own._

_"What was it he wanted?" Castiel asked with a frown. His brother had better have been behaving._

_"Nothing much. Come on lets go somewhere else." And with that the diner melting into a dream version of Dean's bedroom, taking his angels hand he guided him to the bed, time to forget Gabriel and the problems of the real world._

* * *

_Castiel was lying with Dean in his arms in Dean's dream. He loved moments like this, when there was nothing but the two of them. Even if they only happen in Dean's mind._

_Then suddenly he wasn't there anymore, he was standing with his brother._

_"Gabriel what are you doing?" Castiel asked with a sigh as if it wasn't obvious. Why couldn't he just leave him alone for a little while._

_"We need to talk." Gabriel replied with a completely serious tone of voice._

_"And Dean?" Castiel questioned crossing his arms at his brother._

_"Is fine. He's having a little alone time right now." Gabriel replied with a smirk._

_"What do you wish to discuss?" Castiel asked, knowing that the sooner Gabriel had said his piece the sooner he could return to Dean._

_"Less discuss, more show." Gabriel replied. With that he clicked his fingers and there at Castiel's feet appeared Dean's dead and covered in blood, and though Castiel knew it wasn't real it still made his heart contract in pain._

_"As a human you won't be able to do anything when this happens." Gabriel murmured to him making Castiel turn from the body on the floor to glare at his brother. Why was he doing this?_

_"No? Then how about this." Gabriel said as he clicked his fingers once again. Castiel didn't want to but he couldn't stop himself, he looked down and instead of Dean he saw Sam dead at his feet._

_"How will Dean-o feel when little Sammy boy dies saving you?" Gabriel questioned before he clicked his fingers once again and the body was gone making Castiel turn to look at him with hostility in his eyes._

_"Of course that is if he'll even let you out to hunt. Do you think he will? Or will you stay behind and bake pie." Gabriel asked with a smirk._

_"Why are you doing this?" Castiel growled at him._

_"To show you the truth. I don't want to hurt you Cassie but dad made you an angel for a reason. To protect humanity and if that equates to protecting the Winchesters then I'm down with that. But you can't do it unless you accept who you truly are." Gabriel replied, dropping all pretence and anger. He just spoke with complete sincerity. Yes he did want his brother back, but he also didn't want to see him hurt. He had to make Castiel realise that the best course of action was to take back his grace._

_At Gabriel's words Castiel turned thoughtful. Oh he was aware that Gabriel wanted him to be an angel for some reason of his own, but the points he had just made were still valid. As an angel he could indeed protect the Winchesters in a way he could not as a human._

_"Take back what is yours Castiel." Gabriel whispered to him before Cas was suddenly back in Dean's dream. Though the hunter seemed not even to notice he was gone._

_And as Castiel lay there a startling realisation came to him. If he did not take back his grace he would not be able to do this again. He and Dean would only have the real world. And that more than anything Gabriel had shown him affected him the most._

Dean woke the next morning lying as he always was in Cas' arms. God how he loved waking up like that. With a smile he raised his head and gently pressed his lips to the angels.

"Good morning Dean." Castiel said once he had pulled away.

"Morning Cas." Dean replied snuggling closer to him.

"We need to get up soon so that Gabriel can remove the mark." Castiel commented, not that he put action to the words at all. If anything his hold on Dean tightened.

"I know, but I don't want to move." Dean sighed into his chest. This was definitely the best place in the world to be in his mind. At that they both lay there in silence until Castiel spoke and broke it.

"I have been thinking, and I think I will take back my grace." Castiel finally said.

This sentence caused Dean to look up at him with a genuine smile splitting across his face at Cas' words.

"Awesome. I don't want to lose my angel."

"You'll never lose me Dean. I promise." And with that Castiel bent down and gave Dean a passionate kiss to seal his promise with. Whatever happened in the future, he would find a way to be at Dean's side. Always.


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello again. I would like to thank those lovely people who have followed and favoured this story since my last update.**

**Right so this is the second to last chapter I believe, as long as my brain doesn't go off on a tangent again at any rate. So I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

After those who required it had eaten breakfast Gabriel gathered everyone in the library.

"Right this is how it's going to go. We're going to tie Dean-o to this chair and then I remove the mark." He said to the three people standing round him.

"Umm Gabriel why you tying me down?" Dean asked somewhat alarmed by the idea.

"Cos I can't hold you while I remove the mark." Gabriel replied with a voice that just oozed du! Isn't' that obvious?

"I can." Castiel said when he saw the look of uncertainty on Deans face at the idea that he needed to be tied to a chair during this process.

"Sorry Cassie but you're not strong enough to do it." Gabriel replied adamantly. He wasn't letting the chance of Dean escaping this process happen.

"And if I had my true grace would I be?" Castiel asked casually to his brother who frowned at him. Cassie said he didn't want it back didn't he?

"Well Yeah-" Gabriel started still confused by this conversation. There was no way that Castiel would take back his grace just so Dean-o didn't have to be tied to a chair, is there? Really? I mean come on.

"Then hand it over please." Castiel interrupted smirking slightly at Gabriel's confusion. After all it wasn't every day you he got to confuse an archangel.

"You sure?" Gabriel asked, he had to check, as he got the bottle out of his pocket.

"Yes Gabriel I am sure." Castiel replied calmly holding out his hand.

At that Gabriel handed over the bottle without another word. He wanted his brother back, who was he to complain about how it happened?

"Dean, Sam. Close your eyes." was the only warning Cas gave before he threw the bottle on the floor smashing it to release his grace. It flowed into him, filling him up inside. The lights above blew out as the air crackled from the power and behind Cas reflected on the wall were two massive wings.

Gabriel watched as his brother reclaimed his grace, happiness and pride flowing through him. And when it was over he smiled a genuine smile at Castiel.

"Welcome back brother." He said gently.

"Yeah okay Cas has his mojo back, awesome. Any chance either of you can fix the damn lights?" Came Dean's growling voice through the darkness.  
With that Gabriel chuckled and clicked his fingers to reveal both Sam and Dean blinking in the sudden change.

"Let's get this show on the road then shall we?" Gabriel asked rubbing his hands together. Castiel was back and he was curing Dean. All was going to be right with his family.

Gabriel directed Castiel to stand behind Dean. Getting him to wrap his arms around the hunter just above the elbows so he could get to the mark on Dean's forearm before he went and stood in front of them both.

"Umm what do you want me to do?" Sam asked cautiously, he was a bit worried that Gabriel would ask him to help restrain Dean. If an angel couldn't do it then what good would he be?

"You Sammy are the last line of defence. You grab your big little bro if he manages to knock Cassie out." Gabriel replied with a delighted smile, though what he was delighted about was a mystery to Sam. surely he didn't think Dean would really knock Cas out did he?

"Great sounds fun." Sam replied with sarcasm evident in his voice, through it didn't completely disguise the worry underneath.

"Everyone ready?" Gabriel asked cheerfully.

"Yes." Castiel replied as Dean said "Just peachy." Sam chose not to speak and just nodded his head.

"Perfect. Oh and Dean-o you might want to bite down on this." Gabriel said clicking his fingers and making a strip of leather appear out of nowhere and shoving it into Dean's mouth. Before Dean could even think to protest Gabriel grabbed his arm and lowered three of his fingers onto the mark.

As soon as the contact was made Dean threw back his head roaring in pain. Struggling trying to get away, to get free. To kill them all as the mark demanded at being attacked.

Sam stood there and watched as inhuman sounds came from his brother's mouth. He stood and watched as Dean tried to claw Gabriel's fingers from his arm. He just stood and watched as Dean struggled against the immoveable force that was Castiel. And still the only sounds in the room where Dean's. He didn't know if he could take much more of watching his brother in so much pain, but then the noises changed. Dean was no longer roaring or trying to fight. The sound now was more a whimper, reminding him of the sound seriously injured animals make when you approach them. Sam didn't know which was worse.

Finally after what seemed an eternity to Sam, though was probably no more than a few minutes, Gabriel removed his fingers from Dean's arm and gently raised them to his head. Brushing them across his forehead sending Dean to sleep. The only thing that stopped his brother falling to the floor was Castiel's arms around him.

"He should rest." Gabriel said in a tried voice. At that Cas nodded, changing his hold so he could pick Dean up bridal style.

"Did it work?" Sam asked anxious. He hoped his brother hadn't just gone through all that for nothing.

"It worked. See?" Gabriel replied holding up Dean's arm to show Sam. The place where the mark had been had changed. There was still a mark there, but this one wasn't the mark of Cain, it was more like fingers?

"What is that?" Sam asked confused.

"To remove the mark I had to remove it from your brother's soul. Something like that leaves outward sighs." Gabriel replied tiredness still evident in his voice but nowhere else.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked wondering just what Dean would have to deal with now. Would his brother suddenly develop a crazy urge to prank everyone from Gabriel's mark?

"It is like the hand print I left on Dean when I pulled him from hell. This mark will not hurt him Sam. I promise." Castiel injected into the conversation. He could read Sam's worries on his face and he wanted to reassure the younger Winchester that when Dean awoke he would indeed be the Dean they both loved.

"Okay. Well let's get him to bed then." Sam replied still somewhat unnerved by Dean having yet another mark from an angel on his skin. But now wasn't the time. They could work that out later. Now his brother needed rest and being taken care of, and that was exactly what Sam was going to do.


	30. Chapter 30

**Hello again my dears. Okay my brain has gone off on a tangent. There will be an epilogue after this.**

**So I hope you like this chapter. Again stuff in italics is Dean's dream.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

_Dean found himself in the White Room. The one the angels took him to so he couldn't stop Sam from starting the apocalypse. The room where Cas chose him over heaven. Where it all truly started. What he didn't know was what he was doing here._

_"Hey Dean-o." He heard from behind him and there leaning against the wall was Gabriel._

_"Gabriel, what's going on?" He asked confused. Why was he here?_

_"You're sleeping." Gabriel replied the unasked question making Dean nod. That made more sense than anything else._

_"Okay. So is the mark gone?" He asked trying not to sound hopeful. Though thinking about it his head did feel clearer than it had in ages, even if he was dreaming._

_"The mark of Cain is gone yes." Gabriel replied with a smirk._

_"What does that mean?" Dean asked warily narrowing his eyes at the archangel. What had he done?_

_"You've now got a new mark, look at your arm. I was think the mark of Gabriel." Gabriel said with a wave of his hand and a twinkle in his eye._

_"Yeah, no. is that fingers?" Dean asked examining the mark he now bore on his arm in place of the mark of Cain. It definitely looked like fingers. In fact it looked like three of Gabriel's fingers damn it._

_"Yep." Gabriel replied cheerfully making Dean glare at him._

_"Great so I have Cas' hand on my shoulder and your fingers on my arm. Just awesome." Dean replied his voice dripping with sarcasm._

_"Well what can I say Dean-o I do like to sigh my work." Gabriel replied flippantly._

_"You know that just sounds creepy, if not a little psycho." Was Deans response to that, still looking at his new mark._

_"Takes one to know one Dean-o." Gabriel replied slyly._

_"Whatever. So it's all gone? No more need to kill? No more becoming a demon?" Dean asked looking up at the archangel with hope in his eyes._

_"It's all gone Dean-o. You are as you were." Gabriel replied with rare sincerity and a genuine smile on his lips as Dean's face broke out into the biggest grin he had ever seen on the hunter._

_"Thank you Gabriel… I don't think I'll ever be able to say that enough." Dean said. He couldn't get over it. Gabriel had saved him and asked for nothing in return. Wait what **did** Gabriel want in return?_

_"Just be good to Cassie and we'll call it even." Gabriel replied with a shrug yet again answering Dean's unasked question._

_"Why'd do it Gabriel?" Dean asked. He was curious now that the nightmare was finally over._

_"I thought you of all people would understand that Dean." Gabriel replied looking him straight in the eye but that didn't help Dean. He was still confused._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You sold your soul for your brother, I saved your soul for mine." And with that Gabriel disappeared._

Dean blinked his eyes open returning from the dream room Gabriel had taken him to only to find himself staring into the blue eyes of Castiel. His angel. The one Gabriel went to all this trouble to save. The one Gabriel saved him for. The love of his life, the one who gripped him tight and raised him from perdition. The one who meant so much more than any words could express to him.

"Hey Cas." He whispered softly smiling at the angel he loved.

"Hello Dean." Castiel replied returning the smile before bringing his lips down on his hunters.

* * *

Castiel had watched Dean sleep. Seen how his unmarked soul rested peacefully within the embrace of his grace and he knew, he knew that everything would be alright now. Dean was back, and together the Winchesters could take on anything the world threw at them. And yes, when he said Winchesters he did include himself. The future would hold what it would. He would not think about a time when he wouldn't have Dean by his side. He would let fate take its course and live for the time he had with the man he loved.

Through the link they shared Castiel sent a heartfelt thank you to Gabriel who he knew was still in the library.

* * *

Gabriel hearing him smirked and flew away. He had things he needed to do to make sure that nothing interrupted Castiel and Deans happiness, and for that his first stop was heaven.

"Hannah." He said in a voice that radiated throughout all levels of heaven.

"Gabriel." The angel replied appearing immediately beside him.

"I've open heaven." Gabriel stated though he guessed that was kinda obvious, but he wanted to make things clear for what he was about to do.

"Yes thank you I-" Hannah started to say only to have Gabriel interrupt her.

"Still talking. In return you're going to do me a favour." Gabriel said using his archangel voice. He may not want to upset Hannah but this was not a request or a negotiation. This was without a doubt an order from the last remaining archangel free in the world and if she disobeyed he would bring down his fury upon her and all that followed. He wanted to make sure that that was transparent to the angel in front of him.

"What is it you wish Gabriel?" Hannah asked in a submissive voice with her head bowed. She had heard and understood, and she would not cross him.

"Castiel will be allowed to remain on earth for as long as Dean Winchester is alive. Agreed?" Gabriel commanded her.

"Yes I agree, but why?" Hannah asked before her eyes went wide. It was not her place to question him. It was her place to follow his commands in this conversation.

Gabriel smiled at her question. He was glad that she felt she could do that. She was becoming a good angel. Obviously some of Castiel must have rubbed off on her at some point.

"Because they love each other Hannah." Was his simple reply with an honest smile on his face.

"Oh." Was all Hannah could think of to reply. She still remembered her vessels love for her husband but she didn't understand that feeling, though she had always suspected that Castiel had. At least she now had confirmation of that fact.

"Make sure all angels know that the Winchesters and Castiel are under my protection and guard until the time comes when Dean Winchester dies." Gabriel decreed.

"I understand and it will be done." Hannah nodded at him. She would do as he wished. In some ways it was a relief to know that Castiel would not be returning to heaven soon. He was just…too human.

"Thank you." Gabriel said dropping his domineering tone. With that he tuned to go but suddenly turned back Hannah. "Look after heaven Hannah. It is one of dad's better creations." He said with a waggle of his eyebrows before he flew off with a smirk to see what just desserts he could deliver unto the evil on earth.

* * *

Dean and Cassie would work out what he had done eventually, but not yet and not now. But one day. Oh yes one day they would know just what he was willing to do to keep his brother on earth and as such by his side. And Gabriel couldn't deny he was rather looking forward to it. If nothing else he really did like getting under the skin of Dean Winchester, he truly was great amusement for the archangel.


	31. Epilogue

**So here we are, at the end. **

**I would just like to thank all you lovely, wonderful people who have followed and favoured this story. You are all truly awesome. And I would like to give a special thanks to those of you who reviewed. I love you guys so much, your words and love for this story kept me motivated to write and made sure my brain kept ticking over with ideas of where I was going with it. I have loved writing this one, it truly was great fun to try something different with the dream idea and I'm glad you all liked it and came with me for the ride. So thank you all. I hope you like this ending, I actually wrote it before the last chapter, but that's my brain for you.**

**And so for the final time, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

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50 Years later and Dean was standing at the edge of a funeral, or a hunter's funeral at any rate. He watched the flames consume the two bodies which had been placed on top. Though he knew they were just shells, the souls inside them had long since departed for their shared heaven, taken by death himself as is the honour bestowed on such great hunters as Samuel and Isabella Winchester. Surrounding the fire where various adults but no children. A funeral was no place for children. The adults looked to Dean and the man standing beside him and nodded. They had said their goodbyes to their parents and grandparents. It was time for their uncle and his angel to say theirs. Though anyone looking at Dean would not believe he was their uncle. He did not look at day over 36.

"Why aren't I dead Cas?" Dean asked the question that had haunted him ever since his brother had breathed his last breath.

"I do not know. But I believe that Gabriel may." Castiel replied. He had an idea of what his brother had done, but he would not tell Dean. Gabriel would have to do that himself. Castiel wasn't sure he truly believed it had happened.

"Then we best go find him don't you think?" Dean asked turning from the flames. He had watched too many people he loved burn. He did not need to watch more.

It took a while but they finally tracked down Gabriel to the same town where Sam and Dean had first meet him. Thinking him a trickster god.

"Well hello little bro and Dean-o. What can I do for you today?" Gabriel asked cheekily when they found him in a bar.

"Why aren't I dead Gabe?" Dean asked without any preamble.

"Because you were a demon Dean-o. I removed the mark of Cain, but I might have left the surviving for eternity thing in place. Couldn't have Cassie here getting lonely now could I?" with that and a smirk Gabriel clicked his fingers and disappeared. He decided it would be best to give Dean some space for a while, like the next century or two, before meeting up with them again. He did not fancy facing the wrath of Dean Winchester thank you very much. Though he would definitely watch as he worked out just what he had told him and all he had done. Take that heaven, you can't touch Cassie forever. Yes this was definitely one of his better plans.

* * *

Down through the years and the centuries stories were told by people who had been saved by a great hunter and the angel at his side. The stories became myths and legends to many, but a few, a very few, the ones who still bore the name Winchester and the Winchester blood, those who protected the secrets of the men of letters knew the truth. The story of how a man became a demon and then gave his soul to an angel. The man who bore the mark of Dean, the righteous man.

The story of the protector of humanity and his angel.

The end.

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**So that's it. I kinda got the idea for this ending from the latest episode of supernatural 'The Prisoner' when Cas talked about how when Dean succumbed to the mark everyone else could be dead and only he would be around to watch it happen and it kinda made me sad the thought of Cas all alone for eternity. I think my brain was subconsciously working on this when I wrote the chapters involving Cas' decision whether to take his grace back or not as what I wrote certainly wasn't what I had planned.**

**Anyway I hope you liked this and it made you happy in the end. And again thank you everyone who has supported this story, I loved writing it. I'm kinda sorry to see it finish I loved it so much.**

**Anyway Enough. Stick a fork in me, I done. Peace out bitches and adios amigos. I love you all.**


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